PROCEDURE 


34.  DRUMMOND  PLACE,  EDINBURGH,  25  April,  1897. 
My  dear  Sir: 

I  have  read  your  "Ancient  Civilizations"  with  great  care  and 
much  interest.  It  is  a  remarkable  book.  It  is  so  in  respect  of  the 
great  research  which  it  discloses.  Few  can  value  your  industry 
more  correctly  than  I  can.  And  all  its  outcome  your  readers  get 
without  labour  on  their  part.  Your  way  of  presenting  the  informa- 
tion you  have  amassed  is  also  deserving  of  great  praise.  You  write 
lucidly  and  pleasantly,  and  this  makes  you  easily  followed. 

But  it  is  from  quite  another  point  of  view  that  the  book  strikes 
me  as  remarkable.  It  is  this :  You  lead  your  readers  to  a  better 
understanding  of  what  civilisation  is.  All  you  say  about  the  coming 
and  going — the  growth  and  decline  of  ancient  civilisations — is  most 
instructive,  and  cannot  fail  to  make  men  estimate  more  fairly, 
justly  and  modestly  the  civilisations  of  our  own  time — I  say  civili- 
sations, for  they  are  still  of  many  patterns. 

Believe  me,  with  all  good  wishes,  yours  faithfully, 

ARTHUR  MITCHELL. 

Mr.  G.  S.  Hughs,  Des  Moines,  fozva,  U.  S.  A. 

Sir  Arthur  Mitchell,  K.C.B.,  M.D.,  LL.D.,  F.R.S.E.— Commis- 
sioner in  Lunacy  for  Scotland,  Professor  of  Ancient  History  to  the 
Royal  Scottish  Academy,  Foreign  Secretary  of  the  Society  of  An- 
tiquaries of  Scotland — is  author  of  a  work  entitled  "The  Past  In 
the  Present."  Sir  Arthur  was  a  pioneer  in  the  new  and  wider 
field  of  study  and  observation. 

Mr.  Geo.  Shelley  Hughs: 

MY  DEAR  SIR  :     I  am  very  much  pleased  with  your  book.    I 
do  not  know  of  any  other  giving  the  same  information  in  so  conve- 
nient a  form.     It  is  of  value,  both  for  study  and  for  reference. 
April  26, 1897.  Cordially  yours,  B.  FAY  MILLS. 

ANCIENT  CIVILIZATIONS. 
440  Pages.  Cloth,  $2. 

I  have  not  a  permanent  address,  and  shall  not  have.  I  have  not 
been  able  to  interest  an  established  publisher.  My  present  address 
is  No.  578  E.  Fifty-fifth  street,  Chicago ;  but  a  safer  address  after 
1903  is  No.  307  Lincoln  avenue,  Waukesha,  Wisconsin. 

GEORGE  SHELLEY  HUGHS. 


LINES  AFTER  READING  "ANCIENT  CIVILIZATIONS.1 

BY   MRS.   SARAH   H.  YOUNG. 

A  child  of  Erth,  he  roamed  among  her  trees, 

Or  on  her  flowery  bosom  lay  at  rest : 
Then,  older  grown,  he  bent,  with  eager  eyes, 

To  read  the  record  written  on  her  breast. 

And  as  he  reads,  the  brooding  shadow  fast 

Before  his  steadfast  vision  disappears ; 
Then  one  by  one  he  draws  the  veils  aside, 

Each  filmy  "nightwatch"  of  a  thousand  years. 

And  civilizations,  in  their  changes,  seem 
To  ebb  and  flow  and  in  great  cycles  run : 

Here  up,  there  down;  each  land,  from  east  to  west, 
In  turn  receives  the  favor  of  the  Sun. 

He  slowly  reads  between  the  wavering  lines 
That  what  hath  been  shall  surely  be  again ; 

And  Ghizeh's  Pyramid  gives  up  to  him 
The  secret  it  withheld  from  other  men. 

He  sees  each  jeweled  island  disappear, 

Each  mountain  sink  below  the  seething  main ; 

And  lo,  where  once  the  sullen  waters  rolled, 
He  sees  the  "lost  Atlantis"  rise  again. 

Where  once  the  ice-king  held  his  quiet  court 
Spreads  now  the  fragrance  of  a  torrid  zone : 

What  was,  shall  be;  what  is,  shall  be  again  — 
The  pole  star  glitters  where  the  palm  hath  grown. 

We  close  the  book,  wherein  is  held  enshrined 
The  scholar's  vision  and  the  poet's  dream; 

And  smile,  to  think  that  fertile  fancy  drew 
So  true  a  picture  from  so  vast  a  theme. 

In  those  old,  golden  ages,  long  ago, 

For  whose  vague  wealth  we  search  in  every  trend — 
O  student,  tell  us,  in  those  lost  archives, 

Lies  there  a  higher  truth  than  we  have  kenned  ? 

Carroll,  Iowa,  May  20,  1897. 


BOKEN. 


BY 

GEORGE  SHELLEY  HUGHS, 

AUTHOR  OF  'ANCIENT  CIVILIZATIONS.' 


CHICAGO,  ILLINOIS: 

PUBLISHED   BY   THE  AUTHOR. 
1903 


Entered  according  to  act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1903,  by 

GEORGE  SHELLEY  HUGHS, 
in  the  office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


All  rights  reserved. 


THE  LAST  WURD— ENGLISH   SPELLING. 

HUEN  one  thinks  ov  the  grate  and  the  meny  inven- 
tions and  impruvd  methods  huich  hav  blest  the  wurld 
within  a  century  he  is  temted  tu  think  that  not  an  old 
thing  is  left.  But  ther  is,  and  it  is  mor  annoying  and 
less  defensible  nou  than  it  was  a  hundred  yers  ago. 
Ov  corse  I  mean  the  current  spelling  ov  English.  In 
a  hundred  yers  ther  hav  bin  a  fu  chanjes,  yet  the  dic- 
tionarys  sho  that  the  spelling  is  nou  less  fonetic  than 
ever  befor.  Esthetic  peple  ar  all  the  time  corrupting 
our  speech.  Tha  think  tha  must  hav  a  pronunciation 
different  from  the  'vulgar.'  For  them  or  by  them  the 
chanjes  ar  made  in  the  dictionarys,  and  then  teachers 
and  public  speakers  ar  not  'respectable'  if  tha  du  not 
'each  on'  and  bleat  in  unison.  As  a  fu  instances  I 
mention  mistress,  again,  sacrifice,  route  (rout,  Bailey, 
London,  1757),  industry  (industry"),  ate  (eat,  et),  are. 
Our  ancestors  in  English  had  a  mode  ov  spelling  that 
was  as  nerly  fonetic  as  the  Jurman  is  to-da,  but  jener- 
ation  after  jeneration  has  sufferd  chanjes  in  pronuncia- 
tion without  corresponding  chanjes  in  spelling.  Huat 
uther  civilizd  languaj  is  so  irregular,  unfonetic  ? 

Huat  is  tu  be  dun  ?  Much  has  bin  dun.  Evry  yer 
skolars  and  techers  meet  and  discus  the  mater.  Com- 


"Standard  £& 


iv  The  Last   Wurd. 

mittees  ar  apointed  and  reports  ar  printed.  Boox  and 
literary  publications  offer  lurned  and  exaustiv  systems 
ov  impruvd  spelling.  Peple  read  and  hav  all  varietys 
ov  sensations.  Thoz  hu  ar  constitutionally  opozd  tu 
all  nu  ways  ov  duing  things  ar  so  sensitiv  that  tha 
suffer  mor  evry  yer  than  tha  wud  if  a  radical  reform 
was  jenerally  adopted.  Then  their  sufferings  wud  end; 
tha  cud  take  curaj  and  face  the  futur. 

I  du  not  no 

Huy  yet  I  liv  tu  sa,  This  thing's  tu  du; 
Sith  I  hav  caus  and  wil,  and  strength  and  means, 
Tu  du  't.  —Hamlet. 

Huy  has  nuthing  bin  dun  ?  Becaus  nobody  has  dun 
enything  practical.  Eny  printer  cud  hav  dun  mor 
than  has  bin  dun.  I  am  a  printer.  I  hav  the  curaj 
that  goz  with  the  common,  everyhuer  'jur'  printer.  It 
matters  not  huether  or  not  I  am  a  skolar  after  wurking 
forty  yers  at  the  case,  correcting  and  'sensing'  copy 
on  evry  noan  subject.  Forty  yers  hav  not  made  me 
old.  It  seems  but  lately  that  I  was  a  green  boy  in  the 
pine  woods  in  Alabama.  I  recall  vividly  the  slab  seat 
in  the  log  skoolhous.  I  was  weak,  dul,  lazy,  trifling. 
Mister  Gregory's  swich  was  a  daly  dred,  inevitable. 
He  did  his  duty  bi  me,  and  I  nou  thank  him.  Huen 
I  had  toild  painfully  thru  the  alfabet  and  the  simple 
fonetic  syllables  I  was  sent  tu  Mistres  Hendricks' 
skool.  I  nou  began  tu  take  an  interest  in  study.  In  a 
yer  I  was  a  fair  speller.  At  14  I  was  a  speller.  No 


English  Spelling. 


child  ov  mi  aj  cud  stand  with  me.  I  nu  Webster's 
Elementary  Spelling-Book,  and  ther  has  not  bin  an- 
uther  as  good.  I  became  a  speller  simply  by  lurning 
wurds,  not  rules.  I  nu  no  rules.  No  rules  can  be 
made  for  such  variants  as  thez  : 


a 

tew 

pair 

gyve 

to 

you 

bird 

bone 

so 

row 

care 

done 

do 

cow 

give 

gone 

gin 

yew 

pied 

none 

get 

bow 

gain 

were 

are 

woo 

haul 

ware 

ear 

gem 

hear 

crow 

bid 

gill 

pare 

grow 

eye 

lice 

does 

sown 

hoe 

gist 

pear 

germ 

one 

girt 

shoe 

know 

tow 

hall 

gage 

gown 

sew 

fear 

wool 

giant 

sow 

firm 

bawl 

pride 

yield 

growl 

there 

weigh 

piece 

rough 

pried 

nones 

guest 

gauge 

again 

crowd 

begin 

height 

heard 

bough 

gourd 

dough 

board 

trough 

broad 

slough 

gored 

bought 

guard 

ground 

suage 

crowed 

dozen 

gowned 

We  se  sumtimes  in  boox  and  papers  an  attempt  tu 
spel  after  the  manner  ov  pronunciation  peculiar  tu  a 
locality  or  a  race  or  clas.  I  hav  often  thaut  that  thoz 
hu  thus  set  off  uthers  wud  du  a  kindnes  tu  the  unleterd 
and  the  peculiar  if  tha  wud  dok  the  spelling  ov  their 
oan  speech  and  utherwiz  mak  it  conform  to  a  system 
huich  mite  be  within  the  reach  ov  thoz  hu  can  not  giv 
their  life  tu  orthografic  pursuts.  I  sa  orthografic.  As 


vi  The  Last   Wurd. 

a  jurnyman  printer  I  can  speak  with  nollej.  Anuther 
riter  in  this  connexion  mite  sa  literary.  But  if  the 
copy  furnisht  the  printer  by  thoz  hu  ar  really  literary 
was  always  follod  ther  wud  be  re-form  in  speling. 

I  WAS  born  September  24,1849,  at  n  A.  M.,in  central 
Jorja.  Eny  astrolojer  wil  tel  yu  that  that  fact  is  suffi- 
tient  tu  account  for  enything  that  looks  od  or  bold  in 
this  book.  I  giv  the  particulars,  that  thoz  hu  wish  tu 
du  so  ma  verify  my  statements  in  the  corse  ov  the 
book.  The  astrolojer  wil  tel  yu  also  about  hou  much 
I  mite  be  affected  by  flattery,  or  by  adverse  critisism, 
or  by  advice. 

I  du  not  no  huether  it  was  my  burth  at  a  particular 
minute,  in  the  influence  ov  an  unusual  planetary  con- 
figuration, or  huether  it  was  becaus  ov  my  Irish,  or  the 
warm  suthern  Sun  in  my  infancy,  or  sum  uther  causes, 
but  I  was  erly  imprest  with  the  thot  that  ther  was  much 
unnecessary  wurk  duing,  and  I  became  set  (in  mind) 
against  the  habit.  In  after  yers  I  tuk  rather  kindly  tu 
wurk  and  study,  but  I  hav  never  overcum  mi  aversion 
tu  work  merly  for  the  sake  ov  work.  And  huat  is  mor 
tantalizing  tu  95  or  98  per  cent  ov  the  English-speak- 
ing peple  than  tu  study  and  study  and  study  the  bar- 
barism calld  English  orthografy  and  then  never  feel  at 
eas  huen  tha  rite  a  letter?  South,  East,  West — evry- 
huer  I  hav  found  the  same  failing.  Fu  teachers  can 
spel,  and  fuer  yet  ar  grounded  in  etimolojy  and  sintax. 


English  Spelling.  vii 

A  Spanyard  or  a  Skandinavian  can  lurn  the  speling  ov 
his  languaj  in  thre  munths.  If  we  wud  lern  the  leters 
and  their  primary  pouers  and  then  uz  them  practically, 
and  not  for  ornament  and  puzzles,  we  wud  hav  time  tu 
du  meny  things  huich  we  can  not  du  nou  becaus,  as 
we  sa,  life  is  tu  short. 

I  hav  made  a  fu  chanjes  in  the  alfabet.  If  yu  wil 
carry  them  in  yor  mind  huile  reading  yu  will  hav  little 
truble.  J,  jay;  G,  gay;  W,  we;  Q,  kwee;  Ch,  che; 
D,  de;  T,  te;  F,  ef ;  V,  ve;  P  and  H  du  not  make  F. 

If  I  spel  a  wurd  so  that  it  ma  be  pronounst  I  hav 
dun  all  that  shud  be  reqird.  Nobody  can  pronounce 
who  in  one  syllable.  In  the  Saxon  the  h  was  furst. 
Hwo  or  huo  cud  be  pronounst.  Skolars  made  the 
chanj.  I  restor  the  lojical  speling  in  huen,  huile,  etc., 
but  hu  is  better  nou  than  huo  or  hwo. 

G.  S.  H. 

Chicago,  June,  1903. 


CONTENTS. 

THE  ASPIRATION  —  THE  TASK i 

i.   JENNY  WILSON  —  BOKEN n 

n.   THE  PLOT — THE  PARTY 22 

in.    THE  GOSSIPS  —  MUVING  PICTURS.    ...  34 

iv.    CHARCOAL  MAJIC — THE  PROMIS    ....  41 

v.    PIONEERS — A  RAILROAD 48 

vi.    ELDER  JONSON  —  THE  BAPTISTS     ....  56 

vn.    THE  PRINTERS — THE  ARGON      ....  68 

vin.   THE  SKOOLS — THE  TEACHERS       ....  79 

ix.    CLAS  OF  '98  —  THE  THESES 88 

Salutatory,  94;  Ambition,  99;  Man  and  Wuman, 
104  ;  The  Robins,  no  ;  "%£&  Forever  lj@f  114  ;  The 
Mountans,  120;  The  Burds — The  Valediction,  124. 

x.  AFTER  SKOOL — THE  VIZION 131 

xi.  A  SENSATION  —  THE  W.  C.  T.  U.       .     .  145 
Poem:   The  Da  ov  Wuman,  167. 

xii.  JERRY — WISCONSIN 170 

xm.  THE  SEZONS — JERRY  IN  CHICAGO  .     .     .  179 

xiv.  POLITICS  —  THE  WURLD'S  FAIR  ....  189 

xv.  THE  START  —  SUKSESS 198 

xvi.  JENNY'S  LETTER — JERRY'S  DECISION    .     .  223 

xvn.  MATED  —  MENY  CUPPLES 231 

NOTES 245 

Sorce  ov  Water  in  Perennial  Springs,  245  ;  Huer 
the  Wurld  Is  Drifting ,  254  ;  Silver  and  Gold,  262  ; 
The  Forbidden  Topic,  266 ;  Political  Ideals  and 
Political  Idols,  274 ;  The  Cristian  Beverajes,  278. 


THE  ASPIRATION— THE   TASK. 

LONG  I  ponderd,  studius,  thautful, 
Saut  a  satisfying  anser 
Tu  the  qestion  huich  the  wise  ones 
Hav  bin  asking  thru  the  ajes ; 
Tu  the  qestion  never  anserd, 
But  huich  all  hav  tryd  to  anser, 
Til  the  boox  ov  all  the  nations 
Hav  bin  fild  with  song  and  lejend. 

'Giv  me,'  prayd  I,  patient,  longing, 
*  Giv  me  lite  huer  nou  is  darknes ; 
Lite,  that  I  ma  shed  a  luster 
On  the  path  in  huich  I  wander 
'Mid  the  seens  ov  erthly  travail.' 

Meny  times  I  sat  and  wated, 
Wated  for  profetic  vizions, 
Wated  for  anjelic  voices: 
And  I  cond  the  wurds  ov  uthers, 
Thinking  I  perchance  mite  stumble 
Ontu  sumthing  that  wud  lead  me 
Tu  the  nollej  that  I  wisht  for. 
At  mi  wurk  the  thaut  was  with  me, 


Disturbing  Qestions. 

In  mi  resting  moments  also ; 
Huen  I  slept  mi  dreams  wer  often 
Burdend  with  disturbing  scruples. 

Stil  I  cud  not  solv  the  problems, 
Cud  not  se  hou  suns  and  planets 
Formd  a  univers  in  ether. 

Sum  savants  hav  seen  qite  clerly 
Hou  caotic  matter  gatherd 
Into  orbs  and  took  on  motion : 
Hou  the  orbs  then  took  their  stations, 
Sum  as  suns,  the  uthers  planets, 
Huirling  thru  the  boundles  ether 
Like  as  dancers  in  a  ballroom 
Keeping  time  with  mello  music. 

Each  savant  his  wa  sees  plainly, 
Yet  huen  meny  cum  tugether 
Fu  ar  thoz  hu  think  in  concert. 
And  each  jeneration  chanjes 
Huat  its  predecessor  left  it. 

Thus  it  was  that  I  was  puzzeld, 
Seing  that  a  jeneration, 
Mabe  this  one,  er  it  passes, 
Wil  retire  the  present  picturs 
And  replace  them  with  sum  uthers, 
Huich  a  time  wil  drau  the  prizes, 
And  their  authors  for  a  sezon 


A    Visitor.  3 

Be  interpreters  ov  fashon ; 
For,  thaut  I,  'tis  but  a  fashon, 
But  a  shift  ov  men  ov  wisdom — 
Men  hu  think  tu  anser  qestions 
Huich  hav  bin  the  wurld's  enigmas. 

ONCE  I  sat  in  meditation, 
Silent  sat  in  thaut  and  study, 
Huen  a  stranjer,  clad  in  garments 
Yet  mor  stranj  than  he  himself  was, 
Came  and  sat  with  me  at  table, 
Sat  and  faste  me  at  my  table. 

Sumthing  told  me :   '  Treat  him  kindly ; 
He  hath  cum  tu  the  in  kindnes. 
He  wud  taste  thy  bred  and  butter, 
Taste  the  viands  huich  thou  likest. 
Giv  him  cheer  and  onest  welcom ; 
Giv  him  leav  tu  tel  his  mission. 
He  wil  giv  the  huat  thou  longst  for ; 
He  wil  anser  the  thi  qestions.' 

'Sur, '  I  sed,   'I  du  not  no  the, 
Yet  I  feel  miself  draun  toard  the ; 
Feel  that  tho  thou  wert  my  bruther 
Stil  I  cud  not  trust  the  further. 
Eat  with  me  mi  daly  vittals ; 
Take  and  eat  as  thou  art  wont  to; 


At  Dinner. 

Take  and  eat  as  thou  desirest.' 

As  the  stranjer  litely  tasted 
Ov  the  food  befor  him  wating 
I  obzurvd  and  qikly  noted 
That  his  manners  wer  most  winsum. 
Grace  and  eaz  wer  in  his  motion ; 
In  his  ize  wer  luv  and  buty. 
Silent  wer  we  during  dinner ; 
Not  a  wurd  was  sed  bi  ether 
Huile  we  sat  and  et  tugether. 

Huen  the  silent  meal  was  ended, 
And  mi  gest  unbidden  wated 
For  a  qestion,  for  a  token, 
That  we  mite  engaj  in  convers — 
Then  qoth  I :    '  O  welcom  stranjer, 
Tel  me  huy  thou  cumest  hither, 
Cumest  here  tu  me,  a  stranjer; 
Huence  thou  cumest,  huat  thi  nation, 
Huether  good  or  evil  with  the     *. 
Thou  dost  bring  to  my  por  duelling.' 

Soft  as  that  ov  luving  wuman 
Was  the  vois  that  made  the  anser: 

'Tru,  tu  the  I  am  a  stranjer 
As  thine  ize  perseev  my  person. 
Stranjer  tu  the  stil,  I  fancy, 
Is  the  story  ov  mi  nation, 


The  Stranjers  Mission. 

Is  mi  cuming,  is  mi  mission. 

I  am  cum  from  furthest  borders 

Ov  thy  planetary  sistems, 

Further  far  than  i  can  wander, 

Further  than  the  glas,  thy  helper, 

Can  extend  the  human  vizion. 

I  am  cum  tu  tel  the  truly, 

If  thou  list  untu  mi  story, 

All  the  nollej  that  thou  nedest, 

Things  thy  onest  sol  hath  longd  for. 

Short  my  sta;  the  time  is  fleting. 

Let  us  make  our  convurs  ernest. 

I  can  giv  the  information 

Only  in  respons  tu  qestion, 

In  respons  tu  prair  and  qestion. 

So  proseed ;  be  qik  and  redy 

With  thi  qestions ;   I  wil  anser. ' 

Straitwa  I  began  tu  think  me 
Hou  tu  frame  mi  qestions  waty; 
Hou  tu  lead  bi  simple  qestion 
Tu  the  matters  that  disturbd  me. 

'  Furst, '  I  sed,   '  I  crave  the  story 
Ov  thy  peple,  huether  erthly 
Or  on  uther  planet  duelling 
Huen  thou  wert  a  human  being; 
For  I  take  it  thou  art  human  — 


Old  Memory  s. 

As  miself  am,  thou  art  human.' 

'Ah,  mi  frend,  wel  dost  thou  ask  me 
For  the  story  ov  my  nation. 
I  once  dueld  upon  the  surface 
Ov  the  erth  huich  thou  inhabitst ; 
Livd  and  wurkt  on  land  nou  cuverd 
By  the  ocean's  tiding  waters. 
I  hav  seen  this  da  the  landscape 
Huer  once  stood  my  luvly  cottaj ; 
Seen  the  hils  and  frootful  vallys 
Huer  my  floks  in  pasturs  wanderd 
And  my  feelds  gave  grain  and  fodder: 
Hils  and  vallys,  wudlands,  prarys, 
Touns  and  citys  such  as  thou  hast. 
Ner  the  city  I  resided, 
City  not  so  grate  as  thine  is, 
Yet  a  city  grate  and  groing, 
Grater  once  than  eny  nou  is 
Huich  thi  wurld  doth  proudly  boast  ov. 

'If  I  told  the  haf  the  story 
Ov  the  Erth  as  'twas  in  that  aj, 
Aj  huen  all  the  lands  had  cultur, 
All  the  races  livd  in  frendship, 
All  the  nations  wer  enlitend, 
Er  the  oceans  broke  their  boundarys, 
Took  nu  sites,  releast  the  old  ones, 


The  Grate  Qestion. 

Leving  bare  their  former  holdings — 
If  I  giv  the  this  relation, 
Giv  the  this  most  tru  relation, 
Thou  wilt  think  imajination 
Is  the  basis  ov  mi  story.' 

And  he  wated  further  qestion. 

'  Giv  me  nou  the  patronimics, 
Names  ov  lands  and  names  ov  nations, 
Peples  that  thou  nuest  in  erthlife. ' 

Names  he  gave  me  in  profusion, 
Names  so  diffrent  in  construction 
From  the  names  in  use  bi  moderns 
As  defyd  my  tung  and  senses, 
As  defyd  the  art  ov  riting 
And  all  effort  at  remembrance. 

'  But, '  I  sed,  mi  qestions  redy, 
'This  tu  me  is  not  important. 
I  wud  no  the  furst  begining 
Ov  the  Erth  and  life  upon  it : 
Hou  all  came  tu  be  egzistent, 
Huat  it  was  befor  Creation, 
Or  the  wise  man's  Evolution.' 

Culoring  then,  and  almost  scouling, 
Chanjing  from  the  reminissent 
Tu  the  mude  ov  fizical  techer, 
He  recalld  the  antient  wisdom : 


8  The  Antient  Filosofer. 

'Ezier  qestion  thou  cudst  ask  me, 
And  I  fear  thou  wilt  not  grasp  me, 
Wilt  not  qite  mi  meening  folio 
As  I  giv  the  all  the  nolle] 
That  can  cum  tu  finite  spirit. 

'In  the  ajes  long  befor  me, 
Long  befor  mi  erthly  sojurn, 
Livd  a  man  ov  gratest  wisdom. 
Tu  his  universal  vizion 
All  the  natural  secrets  opend. 
He  it  was  hu  taut  us  syence, 
Taut  the  ways  ov  suns  and  planets, 
Taut  us  hou  the  orbs,  revolving, 
Gave  tu  each  its  primal  motion : 
Hou  the  currents  in  the  ether- 
Ink  in  blaknes,  brite  as  sunlite, 
Coldest  ov  the  cold,  yet  hotter 
Than  the  gratest  heat  in  matter — 
Visit  all  the  parts  ov  planets, 
Take  the  refuse  tu  the  furness 
Tu  be  burnd  and  turnd  tu  gases; 
Gather  gases  from  the  planets, 
From  the  ether  and  the  planets, 
Tu  restor  the  wasted  forces 
Ov  the  Sun,  the  central  furnes: 
Hou  the  currents  in  the  ether, 


No  Revelation. 

Thoz  the  hottest  and  the  britest, 
Tho  tha  sho  it  not  in  transit 
From  the  Sun  tu  all  the  planets, 
Take  in  turn  the  vivid  magnets 
Tu  the  life -producing  spirits 
That  renu  the  myriad  species. 
This  grate  teecher,  this  grate  seer, 
Gave  the  wurld  so  grand  a  vizion 
That  the  wise  ones  and  the  simple, 
The  relijus  and  the  skeptic, 
All  together  sang  his  prazes 
And  forsook  their  former  notions. 
His  grate  teechings  hav  survivd  him, 
Hav  survivd  the  meny  chanjes, 
Tho  tha'v  sufferd  in  tradition, 
Sufferd  much  in  all  tradition.' 

'Wei,'  I  sed,  qite  out  ov  patience, 
'Thou  hast  not  redeemd  thy  promis. 
Nuthing  nu  is  in  thi  messej. 
I  cud  read  it  jn  the  volums 
Huich  I  keep  upon  my  table. 
Must  I  uz  mi  oan  discretion, 
Chuz  amung  the  million  gesses 
Huich  the  ajes  hav  beqethd  us  ? 
Can  I  hav  no  revelation 
From  the  sorce  ov  truth  eternal  ? 


io  A  Nu   Tak. 

Must  I  ever  grope  in  darknes, 
Noing  naut  ov  the  beginnings, 
Naut  ov  huat  is  in  the  futur  ? 

'Sta!'  I  begd,  for  he  was  leaving. 
'If  thou  canst  not  solv  my  problems, 
If  thou  canst  not  anser  qestions, 
Thou  canst  tel  me  uther  matters 
Huich  ma  edify  and  pleas  me.' 

But  mi  visitor  had  vanisht, 
And  alon  I  was,  and  lonly. 

SHAL  I  ponder,  surch  and  study, 
Seek  an  anser  tu  the  qestion 
Huich  the  sajes,  the  most  wise  ones, 
Hav  bin  asking  thru  the  ajes  ? 

No;  tu  meny  hav  bin  current: 
Evry  aj  hath  made  its  anser, 
Evry  saj  hath  aded  sumthing, 
Til  the  lejends  ov  the  nations 
Ar  tu  meny  tu  be  counted. 

I  wil  sing  the  aj  I  liv  in, 
Sing  a  song  ov  human  interest, 
Sing  ov  things  I'v  seen  in  passing 
Thru  a  life  ov  meny  chanjes. 


BOKEN. 

I. 

JENNY   WILSON  — BOKEN. 

JENNY  WILSON  livd  in  Boken, 
In  the  villaj  on  the  prary. 
All  the  lads  ov  all  the  nabors 
Had  for  her  a  secret  passion. 
Happy  wer  tha  in  her  presence, 
In  the  sunshine  ov  her  presence ; 
Never  mist  the  chance  that  offerd 
Tu  enjoy  the  conversation 
Ov  the  buty  ov  the  villaj. 

Not  her  buty  only,  plezing, 
Held  her  in  the  estimation 
Ov  the  boyish  luvers  meny, 
But  her  gurlish  grace  ov  manner, 
Winsom  ways  and  disposition 
Made  her  favorit  with  the  lasses, 
With  the  gurls,  hu  nu  her  better. 


1 2  Boken. 

Er  her  hart  tu  luv  responded, 
Er  she  thaut  tu  chuse  one  luver 
From  the  throng  ov  her  admirers, 
Jenny  wated  certain  summers, 
Summers  filld  with  plays  and  pastimes, 
Games  that  train  the  groing  children, 
Make  ov  children  men  and  wimen, 
Giv  them  strength  and  helth  and  vigor, 
Make  them  willing,   make  them  eger 
For  the  burdens  and  the  strugels 
Huich  in  time  wil  be  their  portion. 

In  the  Autum,  in  the  Winter, 
Huen  the  mind  is  freshend,  strengthend, 
Jenny  studid,  practist  muzic ; 
Lernd  tu  so  and  du  the  houswurk, 
Lernd  tu  cuk  and  wash  and  iron ; 
Lernd  in  skool  tu  read  and  sifer; 
Red  in  bux  the  true  old  story 
Ov  the  douts  that  madens  suffer 
Er  tha  gain  the  hart  and  favor 
Huich  tu  them  make  life  wurth  living. 

In  her  train  wer  all  the  yung  men, 
Middle -ajed  tu  wer  hopeful, 
Yet  tha  hezitated  always, 
Cud  not  frame  a  propozition, 
Cud  not  utter  declaration 


Jennys  Parents.  13 

Tu  their  sole  desire,  their  idol. 
At  a  meting  all  wer  happy 
If  all  hurd  and  sau  their  anjel. 
Each  awated  intimation, 
For  a  smile,  a  jestur  wated, 
Tu  insure  against  disaster. 
Nun  wud  dare  tu  risk  his  chances 
Ov  refusal  and  rejection. 

Huile  the  men,  all  hopeful,  wated 
For  her  favor  in  her  chuzing, 
Uther  wimen  wer  not  corted ; 
Men  tu  them  wer  all  as  bruthers, 
Allways  modest,  always  frendly, 
Always  garded  in  their  manner. 

Yet  no  tauk  was  herd,  no  huisper, 
Save  by  those  not  interested, 
Save  by  those  alredy  marrid. 

YUNG  was  Jenny,  yet  much  yunger 
Was  the  prary  villaj,  Boken. 
There  her  parents,  nuly  weded, 
From  the  crouding  East  escaping, 
Found  in  western  wilds  a  homested, 
Settled  there  huen  nerest  nabor 
Was  a  leag  awa  or  further; 
Huen  a  thurofare  was  wanting 


14  Bo  ken. 

And  the  little  travel  follod 
Landmarks  far  apart  and  chanjing; 
Follod  trails  that  often  parted. 

Fast  the  muvers,  nativ,  foren, 
Toard  the  west  their  faces  turning, 
Had  encroacht  on  vurjin  prary, 
Yet  a  meny  million  akers 
Wated  settlement  and  cultur. 

Small  the  hous  tha  bilt,  ov  timbers; 
Flor  ov  tuigs  and  leafy  branches ; 
In  one  end  a  fireplace,  chimny, 
Made  ov  stix,  with  mud  cemented. 
Toard  the  south  a  dor  was  fitted, 
Just  one  place  ov  entrans,  egres. 
For  a  roof  wer  poles  and  thaching, 
Cuverd  furst  with  wel  dryd  slugras, 
Then  with  stiky  cla  and  gravel. 

Coral  insects,  in  their  bodys 
Smallest  noan  ov  living  species, 
In  their  number  as  the  sands  ov 
Land  and  water,  rais  up  ilands 
Huer  befor  wer  thurty  fathoms 
On  the  ocean's  roky  beding. 
Slo  and  tedius  is  the  prosess 
Thru  their  countless  jenerations. 

Qiker  ar  terraqeus  ajents, 


Western  Enerjy.  15 

In  a  sudden  frenzy  muving; 
Here  ingulfing  touering  mountains ; 
There,  in  ocean's  deepest  waters, 
Making  ilands  hi  and  solid. 

Not  so  slo  as  coral  insects, 
Not  so  fast  in  wurking  chanjes 
As  ar  Erth's  internal  forces, 
Yet  as  tipes  ar  peples,  races, 
In  their  muving,  bilding,  chanjing. 

In  the  sloest  groops  and  nations — 
Nou  Arabia,  India,  Persia, 
In  the  rear  ov  current  progres — 
Passing  yers  ma  witnes  chanjes 
Slite  as  thoz  ov  coral  bilders. 

In  the  nu,  composit  peples — 
Tho  themselvs  wer  old  but  lately, 
Here  reformd,  renud  by  mixtur, 
Old  and  nu  here  intermingling 
Huer  the  soil,  the  climat,  wether, 
Evrything  assists  in  forming, 
Making  current  nolle j  forsful, 
Giving  strength  tu  nassent  jenius — 
In  the  West  composit  peples 
Form  and  reform  combinations, 
And  a  da  ma  sho  such  chanjes 
As  a  yer  wud  with  decadents, 


1 6  Boken. 

With  the  cristalizing  peples 

In  the  lands  with  oldest  customs. 

If  mi  seen  was  laid  in  Asia — 
In  Bokara,  Persia,  China — 
Customs  rijid,  sensless,  bliting 
Wud  reqire  most  careful  handling. 

But  I'm  draun  tu  western  stations, 
Huer  ambitius,  nervus,  restles 
Pioneers  ar  ever  bizzy 
Making  over,  renovating 
Huat  deca  and  sloth  beqeath  them : 
Tu  the  place  huer  outposts  gather, 
Huer  reseding  races  vanish, 
Leaving  lands  tu  strenuus  peple. 

Long  the  story  if  I  told  ov 
Labor,  hardship,  danjer,  trials, 
Ov  the  crying  needs  ov  setlers 
Out  ov  reach  ov  trade  and  markets. 
Little  things,  in  valu  nuthing, 
Things  tha  uzd  at  horn  in  plenty, 
Cud  not  here  be  had  for  munny, 
And  the  munny,  tu,  is  scarcer. 

Sum  endurd  without  a  murmur. 
Sum  annoid  their  frendly  nabors, 
Ringing  chanjes  on  their  suff rings, 
On  the  home  tha  left  behind  them 


The  Giving  Awa  ov  the  Land.          17 

And  the  present  destitution. 

Thoz  hu  had  endurd  the  hardship, 
Thru  the  cheerles  Winter  sufferd, 
In  the  muving  sezon  welcomd 
Thoz  hu  came  tu  liv  around  them. 
And  the  nuest  must  be  coddled, 
Must  be  umord  in  their  notions, 
Be  assisted  huen  presumption 
Left  them  il  prepard  in  Winter. 

Evryhuer  wer  told  the  storys 
Ov  the  hevy  snoes  and  lasting; 
But  the  sezons  nou  wer  chanjing. 
Thauing  wether,  rany  wether 
Fild  the  ground  to  top  with  water 
Huen  befor  was  coldest  sezon, 
And  the  setlers,  old  and  nuest, 
Lost  alike  their  berid  produce, 
Lost  their  food  and  feed  in  cellars. 

Once  an  Indian  villaj,  Ama, 
Here  encumpast  prary,  wudland, 
Here  huer  Henry  Wilson  settled. 
Huer  he  bilt  his  hasty  cabin 
Lately  stood  the  tyee's  tepee. 
Here  the  cheef  reseevd  the  notis, 
Here  reseevd  the  dreded  summons 
Tu  a  parly  with  the  Huite  men: 


1 8  Bo  ken. 

Here  reseevd  the  Huite  men's  party, 
Here  agreed  tu  leav  his  homested, 
Leav  the  lands  his  f others  gave  him, 
Leav  the  lands  his  tribe  had  conkerd, 
Had  possest,  and  oand  in  common. 
He  and  all  his  tribe  wer  outcasts, 
Noing  not  their  destination, 
Huat  wud  be  the  Huite  man's  temper 
Huen  his  wards  wer  broken,  scatterd: 
For  his  wards  the  Huite  man  calld  them ; 
Promist  them  support,  protection, 
In  a  place  inviting,  plesant, 
If  in  peace  tha  left  their  holdings, 
Left  their  hunting  grounds  and  villaj, 
Qite  forsook  their  tribal  customs. 

Ov  the  lands  the  Red  men  yeelded 
Millions,  millions  wer  the  akers 
Huich  the  Huite  men's  partial  cheeftans 
Gave  tu  men  hu  never  sau  them ; 
Gave  tu  welthy  men  in  Urop, 
Gave  tu  men  with  Fudal  titles, 
Gave  tu  men  hu  treat  as  vassals 
Those  hu  hav  not  Fudal  titles; 
Gave  tu  those  alredy  welthy; 
Gave  them  frely,  with  exemption 
From  the  local  charjes,  taxes, 


Henry   Wilson.  1 9 

Huile  the  favord  donees  held  them. 

Por  and  nedy  setlers  labord, 
Gave  the  lands  a  market  valu, 
Paid  the  taxes  ov  the  favord 
Huile  tha  raizd  the  lands  in  valu ; 
Paid  their  share  ov  national  taxes, 
Paid  as  much  as  favord  donees, 
As  the  favord  ones  hoos  profit 
Far  exeded  setlers'  fortuns. 

Red  men  oand  the  lands  in  common, 
Not  a  cheeftain  mor  than  uther. 
Huite  men  make  a  fu  men  land  lords ; 
Let  them  oan  the  lands,  control  them, 
Cultivate  them  or  neglect  them, 
Huile  the  meny  hav  no  homsted, 
Hav  no  plot  tu  uz  or  liv  on, 
Save  as  lords  ov  land  ar  willing; 
For  a  price  and  for  a  sezon 
Let  them  uz  huat  was  their  burth  rite. 

Henry  Wilson,  prudent,  thrifty, 
Baut  huile  cheap  the  vacant  prary, 
Baut  as  much  as  ten  cud  care  for, 
Baut  the  land  on  speculation, 
Held  it  til  the  rize  in  valu 
Braut  him  meny  times  the  muny 
Huich  the  lauful  titles  cost  him. 


2O  Boken. 

Long  he  held  it  in  abaance, 
Held  the  land  he  had  no  use  for, 
Held  the  land  from  later  setlers, 
Held  his  oan  huile  helping  uthers 
Sel  and  by  and  make  exchanjes. 

Thus  engajd,  he  lurnd  locations, 
Lurnd  the  lands  in  all  the  county. 
In  his  hous  he  kept  the  records, 
All  the  records  ov  divisions, 
Ov  the  sections,  subdivisions ; 
And  he  nu  their  wurth  in  muny; 
Nu  the  peple,  all  the  setlers, 
Nu  their  tastes  and  predilections. 

He  it  was  that  pland  the  villaj, 
Sold  the  land  in  little  parcels, 
Parcels  all  tu  small  for  farming, 
Parcels  small  as  eny  wisht  for. 

Furst  a  teamster,  then  a  blaksmith 
Bot  a  plot  for  hous  and  garden. 
Then  the  setlers  bilt  a  skoolhous, 
And  the  techer  bilt  a  cottaj. 

Far  the  peple  hauld  their  lumber, 
Hauld  the  pine  from  northern  forests; 
Hauld  it  from  the  nerest  landing 
Huer  the  river  stemers  left  it, 
In  the  open  sezon  left  it. 


The  Speculator.  2  i 

That  tha  mite  hav  cheper  lumber, 
Lumber  huich  the  nativ  timber, 
As  tha  cleard  it,  wud  afford  them, 
Mister  Wilson  rote  tu  partys, 
Rote  tu  men  hu  had  sum  muny, 
Men  hu  nu  the  saumil  biznes, 
Eastern  men  in  qest  ov  biznes, 
And  tha  shipt  their  saus,  their  enjin, 
Evrything  complete  for  working; 
And  themselvs,  their  men,  their  helpers, 
Made  their  homes,  and  made  the  villa j. 

Speculator,  teamster,  blaksmith, 
Skoolhous,  techer,  merchant,  saumil— 
Thus  began  the  prary  villaj : 
Thus  was  chanjd  the  Indian  villaj 
Tu  the  Aryan  villaj,  Boken. 


II. 

THE   PLOT— THE   PARTY. 

OFTEN  passing  thru  the  villaj, 
From  the  city  thru  the  cuntry, 
Taking  orders  from  the  merchants 
For  supplys  for  futur  custom, 
Seling  guds  bi  wurd  and  sample, 
Saving  merchants  thus  a  visit 
Tu  the  warehous  in  the  city, 
Jeremia  C.  O'Connell 
(Evryhuer  tha  calld  him  Jerry) 
Made  aqaintance  with  the  peple : 
Often  past  a  plesant  evning 
With  the  peple  huer  he  tarrid. 

Smart  and  brite  was  Jeremia: 
From  one  visit  tu  anuther 
He  rememberd  huat  was  told  him ; 
Cud  engaj  in  all  the  small  tauk; 
Jolly  one,  consol  anuther 
Better  than  the  local  precher. 

Jeremia  lurnd  the  status 


The  Offitius   Travling  Man. 

Ov  the  swains  and  ov  the  madens, 
Lurnd  the  rezon  hui  no  marrij 
Had  for  yers  bin  seen  in  Boken. 

'Nou,'  sed  he,   'if  this  continus 
Trade  wil  suffer,  droop  and  languish. 
We  must  form  a  combination, 
Form  a  plan  tu  hav  her  marrid, 
Start  agane  the  marrying  habit, 
Liven  trade  in  all  departments. 
Harts  ar  made  ov  brittle  substance ; 
Hard  tu  brake,  yet  huen  tha'r  broken 
All  the  art  ov  all  the  tinkers, 
All  the  yers  ov  life  remaning 
Can  not  fit  the  parts  tugether, 
Can't  repair  and  make  them  normal. 
Never  shud  be  maden  hurrid 
In  her  chois  ov  home  and  husband ; 
Yet  ther  is  on  this  occasion 
Need  ov  frendly  interference.' 

Mister  Bush,  the  jeneral  merchant, 
Furst  in  pastime,  furst  in  biznes, 
In  the  church  the  senior  decon, 
In  the  church  hoos  members  numberd 
Mor  than  haf  the  villej  peple — 
Decon  Bush  conferd  with  Jerry, 
He  and  Mistres  Bush,  the  leader 


24  Bo  ken. 

In  the  matrons'  sotial  muvments. 

Thre  ther  wer  tu  plan  a  party, 
Plan  a  party  for  the  yung  foke : 
Plan  tu  hav  Mis  Jenny  Wilson 
Chuz  a  partner  for  the  evning, 
Chuz  a  partner,  chuz  so  plainly 
As  tu  make  her  prefrence  patent. 

'Then  we'l  hav  the  gossips  tattle 
Ov  the  luvers,  ov  engajment : 
Tattle  that  ma  start  from  nuthing, 
Brake  her  hart  or  make  it  stronger: 
Brake  it  if  she  has  a  luver 
Uther  than  the  one  she  chuzes ; 
Make  it  stronger  if  her  partner 
For  the  evning  is  her  luver. ' 

Thus  our  Jeremia  rezond 
Huen  was  pland  the  sotial  party. 

Mistres  Bush  luvd  Jenny  Wilson, 
Luvd  her  thru  her  later  gurlhud, 
Luvd  her  for  the  churful  spirit 
Huich  was  hers  on  all  occasions; 
And  in  wumanhud  she  luvd  her 
For  her  chaste  and  homely  manners. 

HUEN  the  wether  was  not  stormy, 
In  the  fornoon,  after  dinner, 


Nues  and  Gossip  Exchanj.  25 

Huen  the  train  slode  up  at  Boken, 
Stopt  a  minut,  seldom  longer, 
'Twas  a  custom  for  the  madens 
Tu  betake  them,  in  a  party, 
Tu  the  station,  as  if  draun  there 
By  an  impulse,  by  a  magnet. 

Gigling,  flurting,  in  a  bevy, 
Tha  wer  charming,  tha  wer  tempting 
Tu  the  men  hu  had  the  curaj, 
With  a  slite  or  no  aqaintance, 
Tu  accost  them,  tu  addres  them, 
Tu  aknollej  that  tha  sau  them. 

Huen  the  chanjes  in  the  makup 
Ov  the  travlers  and  their  lugaj 
Wer  completed,  and  the  enjin, 
As  if  angry  at  delaing, 
Jerkt  the  cars  and  hurld  them  onward, 
Then  the  madens,  sloly  muving, 
Tauking  fast  and  all  tugether, 
Tauking  as  if  life  depended 
On  the  sentence  never  finisht, 
On  the  wurds  and  frazes  jangled — 
Nou  aloud,  huen  no  man's  ner  them; 
Nou  in  huispers,  huen  ther's  passing 
Eny  man  tu  hear  their  babling — 


26  Boken. 

Made  their  wa  tu  postman's  offis, 
Tu  the  postman's  stor  and  offis. 
At  his  dor  tha  stood  in  wating, 
Made  remarks  on  all  hu  past  them, 
Haild  the  yung  men,  thoz  hu  nu  them, 
Furtiv  glances  gave  tu  stranjers, 
Huile  the  postman  sorted  letters. 

If  a  gurl  reseevd  a  letter, 
In  her  oan  name  got  a  letter, 
All  the  gurls  the  riter  gest  at ; 
At  its  purport,  tu,   made  gesses. 
She  must  hold  in  chek  her  feelings; 
Must  not  sho  contempt  or  plezur; 
Must  in  wurds  and  smiles  dissemble. 

Braking  here  their  noisy  session, 
Scatring  horn  ward  thru  the  villej, 
Each  tu  thoz  at  home  confided 
All  the  latest  nues  and  gossip. 

FATEFUL  evning,  with  surprizes 
For  the  plotters,  for  the  victim, 
For  the  peple  ov  the  villej. 

Ner  a  hundred  in  the  party, 
Over  forty  wer  the  yung  men, 
And  the  madens  nerly  fifty. 

Late  arrivd  our  Jeremia : 


Surprizes.  27 

Had  no  thaut  ov  part  or  plezur; 
Came  tu  se  the  plan  in  pr ogres, 
Came  tu  no  ov  Jenny's  partner, 
Huat  the  promis  was  ov  gossip. 

Nou  the  hostes,   tu,  was  plotter, 
Had  delite  in  little  mischifs, 
In  the  little  games  and  harmles 
Huich  in  conseqence  ar  grate  ones, 
Making  sumtimes   life -long  maches, 
Sumtimes  spoiling  statesmen's  projects. 

So,  huen  Jeremia,   certain 
That  the  plan  wud  be  suksesful, 
'Gudnite'  sed  and  was  departing, 
She  insisted  that  he  tarry, 
Pleaded  that  he  sta  the  evning, 
That  he  sta  and  make  them  merry. 

Came  with  her  Mis  Jenny  Wilson, 
Came  tu  him  a  sfinxes  riddle, 
Such  a  riddle  as  the  Sfinx  is. 

Huile  his  mind  was  turning,  moiling, 
Huile  he  saut  to  solv  the  riddle, 
Understand  huat  Jenny's  part  was, 
She,  with  beaming  smile  and  plezant, 
In  her  manner  all-rezistant, 
Joind  the  pleding  ov  the  hostes, 
Urjd,  insisted  that  he  tarry 


28  Boken. 

And  direct  the  entertainment. 

Innocent  ov  plot  was  Jenny ; 
Not  a  thaut  had  she  ov  luver. 
Never  maden  in  her  tuentys 
Was  mor  fre  from  luv's  enchantment. 

Mistres  Bush  in  this  was  plotter. 
'  Huy  not  Jerry  hav  our  Jenny  ? 
He  is  yung,  a  man  ov  biznes, 
Mach  far  better  than  the  villej 
Offers  tu  our  machles  maden. 
Maches  ma  be  made  in  heven ; 
I  at  least  wil  be  the  medium. 
I  wil  cauz  their  harts  to  flutter, 
Cauz  their  harts  to  beat  tugether. 
Tu  the  uther  gurls  I'l  huisper, 
Tel  them  Jerry  condesended 
Tu  remain  with  us  this  evning, 
Tu  remain  and  join  the  party, 
For  the  sake  ov  Jenny  Wilson. 
Tha  wil  spred  report  ov  marraj ; 
Sa  that  Jenny  has  bin  frijid 
Tu  the  yung  men  ov  the  villej ; 
That  she  did  in  this  her  duty; 
But  she  shud  hav  made  it  public, 
Shud  hav  told  ov  her  engajment. 
This  tha'l  sa,  and  go  much  further, 


A  Digression.  29 

But  their  tauk  wil  hint  no  evil : 
Jenny's  frends  ar  all  the  villej.' 

Not  a  wurd  she  spoke  tu  Jenny, 
Not  a  thaut  tu  her  imparted 
Ov  the  city  man,  ov  Jerry, 
Til  she  sau  him  in  the  darknes, 
Sau  him  meet  her  wating  husband 
In  the  yard,  huer  uthers  sau  not. 

Then,  as  if  on  sudden  impulse, 
Not  a  moment  left  for  parly, 
For  a  second  thaut,  reflection, 
Mistres  Bush  addrest  Mis  Jenny, 
Thus  addrest  her  as  she  led  her, 
Thru  the  dining  room  and  kichen, 
Tu  the  yard,  in  Summer  darknes: 

'  Lukky  we  if  we  can  keep  him 
Tu  conduct  the  plays  and  marches, 
As  the  leader  ov  the  party. 
It  wil  take  our  best  persuasion. 
We  must  make  our  invitation 
Stronger  than  his  strong  excuses.' 

IF  a  novel  this  was,  merely, 
I  mite  rite  ov  angry  parents, 
Jelus  luvers,  qarrels,  duels, 
Plots  and  skeems  ov  wiked  wimen, 


30  Boken. 

Banishment,  disgrace,  misfortuns, 
Dout,  remors,  severe  temtations, 
Disapointments  grate  and  cruel : 
Sunshine  only  huen  the  luvers 
Had  endurd  so  much  ov  sorro 
That  their  lives  cud  not  be  britend. 

Or,  if  set  in  modern  drama, 
Stars  mite  shine  huer  here  ar  candles. 
Artists  taut  in  skools  ov  acting 
Wud  essa  the  role  ov  Jenny, 
Wud  essa  the  role  ov  Jerry, 
Tho  tha  cud  not  pla  their  passion, 
Cud  not  sho  the  springs  ov  passion, 
Civ  a  hint  ov  muving  spirit. 
Senic  artists  and  mecanics 
Wud  attemt  the  railroad  station. 
Lavish  in  their  art  and  setting, 
Tha  wud  sho  the  evning  party 
In  apartments  much  mor  costly 
Than  hav  yet  bin  seen  in  Boken. 
Wurst  ov  all,  the  evning  costumes 
Mite  be  such  as  villej  hostes 
Wud  forbid  at  her  receptions. 

But  I  sing  the  simple  story, 
Only  the  simple  rustic  story 
Ov  a  maid  hoos  charm  and  buty 


Jenny  and  Her  Partner.  31 

Thralld  the  yung  men  ov  the  villaj, 
From  the  uther  madens  held  them, 
Held  in  chek  the  lau  ov  Heven, 
Chekt  the  corse  ov  luv  and  marrij. 

Paradox  yu'l  surely  call  it, 
But  this  maden,  kind  and  jentle, 
Never  lazy,  always  studius, 
Helping  muther,  helping  fother, 
Such  a  gurl  as  all  wud  onor, 
Was  a  wich  with  spels  and  pouers 
Over  men  and  over  wimen : 
Kept  the  yung  men  from  the  madens, 
Kept  the  madens  from  the  yung  men, 
Til  the  peple,  tho  not  Shakers, 
Corted  not,  and  did  not  marry. 

HUILE  we'v  thaut  ov  staj  and  novel, 
Noted,  tu,  sum  things  in  jeneral, 
Not  unmindful  ov  the  story, 
Tru  old  story  in  the  novels, 
Ov  the  crosses  luv  encounters 
If  it  gains  its  tru  companion — 
Huile  we'v  sufferd  this  digression 
Jenny  and  Jerry,  at  the  party, 
Making  merry  at  the  party, 
Hav  bin  keeping  all  in  motion; 


32  Bo  ken. 

One  in  music,  both  in  singing, 
Formost  in  the  games  and  marches, 
Games  and  pastimes  huich  the  hostes 
Thot  wer  proper  for  the  yung  foke : 
Games  and  plays  that  calld  for  leaders, 
For  a  man  like  Jeremia, 
For  a  wuman  like  Mis  Jenny. 

Huile  the  villa j  boze  wer  gallant, 
Huile  the  bels  wer  plezant,  modest 
In  their  speech  and  in  their  actions, 
Making  all  a  happy  gathring, 
Tu — the  leaders — intertangled. 

Furst  unconsius  ov  her  pouer, 
Consius  only  ov  respectful 
Grace  and  homaj  in  her  partner, 
Jenny  had  an  intuition 
That  the  harty  demonstration 
Ov  her  partner  was  not  acting. 
He  betrayd  and  she  responded 
And  the  tender  passion  conkerd. 

Huile  the  villaj  boz  wer  wating, 
As  their  wont  was  in  her  prezence, 
Hoping  for  a  smile  from  Jenny, 
For  the  smile  ov  recognition, 
Overt  act  tu  giv  them  curaj, 
For  an  obvius  intimation 


Jerry  in  a  Nu  Role.  33 

That  their  sute  wud  be  aksepted, 
Each  himself  antisipating 
All  the  favor,  sole  possession, 
Jerry,  puzzeld,  thaut  in  flashes, 
Listed  in  his  mind  the  madens, 
All  the  madens,  all  the  wimen 
He  had  thaut  ov  corting,  spousing, 
All  he  nu,  had  seen  in  travel, 
Huether  eny  was  mor  charming, 
Qiet  in  her  ways  and  manner, 
Yet  vivatius  on  occasion, 
Noing  huen  tu  laf  and  chatter, 
Huen  tu  hold  herself  in  silence, 
And,  not  rinding  in  his  memory 
One  he  likt  or  cud  like  better, 
Ceast  rezistance  tu  his  passion, 
Gave  ful  rane  tu  luver's  passion, 
Til  he  found  himself  in  slavery, 
Slave  tu  her  he  thot  his  victim. 
Ezy  sols  the  villaj  swains  wer: 
Til  the  time  for  separation, 
Til  the  time  huen  he  gallanted 
Tu  her  hom  the  captiv  Jenny, 
Sau  tha  not  that  corteus  Jerry 
Had  securd  the  prize  all  hopt  for. 


III. 

THE   GOSSIPS  — MUVING   PICTURS. 

JENNY'S  muther  herd  the  gossip: 
Herd  that  Jerry  and  her  dauter 
Had  in  secret  long  bin  luvers: 
Herd  that  Jerry's  luv  was  desperit ; 
That  his  vizits  tu  the  villaj 
Had  bin  freqent,  much  mor  freqent 
Than  his  trade  at  Boken  calld  for; 
That  in  making  up  his  skedules, 
Laing  out  his  biznes  jurnys, 
Planning  each  itinerary, 
He  arranjd  a  stop  at  Boken, 
Had  at  Boken  one  fre  evning. 

Mistres  Bush,  it  nou  was  seteld, 
By  the  happy  gossips  seteld, 
Gave  the  evning  entertainment 
At  reqest  ov  Jenny  Wilson ; 
Dru  the  yung  foke  all  together, 
All  the  yung  foke  ov  the  villej, 
That  she  mite,  without  suspition, 


Fre  Gessing.  35 

Entertain  her  city  luver. 

Certain,  tu,  the  gossips  had  it, 
That  the  date  was  set  bi  Jerry. 
Not  attird  in  plain  apparel, 
In  his  usual  travling  vestments, 
Huich  befor  suffist  in  Boken, 
But  sprust  up  and  closly  shaven, 
Trim  and  neat  beyond  his  custom, 
Not  bi  chans  was  his  arrival 
At  the  place  huer  Jenny  wated 
On  the  evning  ov  the  party, 
Kept  the  uther  peple  wating 
Til  he  came  tu  lead  the  party, 
Be  her  partner,  be  the  leader. 

Decon  Bush,  in  silens  listning 
(Not  a  hint  his  wife  imparted 
Ov  the  bent  she  gave  tu  gossip), 
Herd  the  storys,  herd  the  gesses, 
Herd  the  fictions  ov  the  peple: 
Herd  them,  wunderd,  kept  his  counsel. 
This,  his  corse,  his  biznes  habit, 
Sheelded  him  from  curius  qestions, 
And  his  silens  cauzd  no  comment. 

But,  tho  silent,  thotful  was  he. 
Long  aqaintans  with  O'Connell, 
With  the  travler  on  commition, 


5  Boken. 

Was  no  gard  against  confuzion 

Tu  a  plotter,  tu  a  joker. 

Lukky  wer  yu  if  yu  enterd 

With  him  intu  jest  or  tangle, 

Sumthing  ment  tu  each  anuther, 

Cauz  him  trubble,  dout  and  wurry, 

Bring  his  frends  tu  laf  and  banter, 

Ridicule,  poke  fun  at,  tant  him — 

Luky  wer  yu  if  in  exit 

From  a  trap  thus  set  for  uthers, 

Set  bi  Jerry,  yu  abetting, 

Yu  wer  not  a  victim  also, 

Yu  and  uthers  wer  not  victims 

Ov  the  sli,  the  wily  travler. 

JERRY,  far  from  villej  gossips, 
Trubeld  not  bi  sound  ov  rumors 
Huich  he  nu  wer  rife  in  Boken, 
Trubeld  was  bi  vizions,  fancys, 
Imajes  ov  one  gud  wuman ; 
Imajes  without  material, 
Een  the  rainbo's  misty  fabric; 
Imajes  without  the  bakground 
Ov  reflektion  from  a  mirror. 

Just  a  moment  each  one  lasted, 
Yet  so  fast  tha  came  and  vanisht, 


Huat  the  Luver  Sees.  37 

Hurrying  each  its  predesessor, 
Sliding  each  intu  pozition 
Huer  the  luver  had  tu  se  it, 
That  a  living  pictur  lasted. 
Each  attracted  uther  setting, 
Yet  in  each  the  self -same  pictur, 
Each  the  face  ov  Jenny  Wilson 
As  he  sau  it  in  the  evning, 
On  the  evning  ov  the  party. 

As  we  se  kineto  picturs, 
In  a  muving,  life-like  manner, 
In  a  seen  ov  natural  action, 
So  did  Jerry's  inner  vizion, 
Huether  ize  wer  clozd  or  open, 
Huether  idle  wer  or  bizzy, 
Wil  he,  nil  he,  at  all  sezons, 
Se  the  face  ov  anjel  smiling, 
Se  the  face  ov  Jenny  Wilson : 
Se  it  in  its  evry  fetur, 
Ever  chanjing  in  its  makup, 
Ever  chanjing  in  pozition : 
Nou  the  simple -harted  maden, 
Thinking  naut  ov  luv  or  luver ; 
Then  the  maid  with  hartstrings  tangeld 
With  the  strings  ov  Cupid's  arro, 
With  the  strings  that  bind  the  hart  up, 


38  Boken. 

Bind  the  harts  ov  all  tru  luvers, 
Bind  tu  luvers'  harts  tugether. 

Then  he  qestiond,  in  his  tangle, 
In  thez  all -pervading  vizions, 
Tu  the  real  self  in  Boken ; 
Huether  he  mite  hav  mistaken, 
Mite  hav  lost  himself  in  passion, 
Mite  hav  taken  much  for  granted ; 
Ma  be  nou  by  her  forgotten. 

O!  the  pangs  ov  luv  that's  doutful, 
Luv  that's  not  returnd  by  luvd  one, 
Huen  the  hart  is  torn,  distracted. 

'Jeremia  C.  O'Connell, 
Travling  salesman,  bred  tu  biznes 
In  a  wurld  that  asks  no  qarter, 
Huer  suksess  depends  on  custom 
Got  in  open  competition 
With  the  shrudest,  with  the  smartest, 
Hou  is  this  ?  ar  yu  demented  ? 
Wil  yu  sqander  sol  and  body, 
In  a  game  ov  harts  all  forfit  ? 
In  a  game  with  a  simple  maden 
Stake  yor  all  huile  she  stakes  nuthing?' 

Thus  he  chid  himself,  and  anserd : 

'No.     Yu'l  out  ov  this,  my  harty. 
Yu  wil  no  yor  present  standing; 


Jerry  Rites  a  Letter.  39 

Yu  wil  no  huat's  in  yor  futur; 
Yu  must  no  hou  she  thinks  ov  yu. 
Yu  wil  rite  a  plezant  letter; 
Not  sa  much,  but  rite  it  better 
Than  yu'r  wont  tu  rite  tu  uthers. ' 

Then  he  qestiond  hou  to  reach  her ; 
Huether  rite  tu  her  directly 
Or  to  Mister  Bush ;  or  better, 
Tu  her  muther,  Mistres  Wilson. 

Thaut  he  then  ov  villej  gossips, 
Hoom  but  lately  he  considerd 
Instruments  both  fit  and  wurthy, 
Instruments  tu  be  relyd  on 
In  his  plan  tu  hav  her  marrid. 

Rating  wel  the  subtil  fabrics 
Ov  the  human  mind  in  action, 
Sitting  silent,  grav,  in  jujment 
On  the  varius  propozitions 
Huich  the  unseen  mental  units 
Ov  his  mind  tu  him  presented, 
Propositions  huich  included 
Probabilitys  and  corses 
Ov  the  minds  and  tungs  ov  pratlers — 
Taking  counsel  as  to  chances, 
Vuing  all  the  propositions, 
Jerry  rote  direct  to  Jenny: 


4O  Boken. 


To  Miss  Jenny    Wilson, 

Boken : 

If  your  heart  is  free,  as  mine  is, 
And  susceptible  to  friendship, 
If  the  evening  entertainment 
We  enjoyed  at  Mistress  Bush's 
Brought  to  you  as  much  of  pleasure 
As  it  brought  to  me,  your  partner, 
For  that  happy  evening  chosen, 
May  I  ask  the  further  favor, 
May  I  call  upon  you   Thursday, 
On  my  next  return  to  Boken? 

If  you  deign  to  grant  this  favor, 
Please  be  kind  enough  to  write  me ; 
Mail  your  answer  in  the  morning ; 
In  the  afternoon  I'll  get  it, 
And  be  with  you  in  the  evening. 

For  the  present 

I  am  truly 
Your  obedient  servant, 

Jerry. 


IV. 

CHARCOAL   MAJIC— THE   PROMTS. 

JENNY  s  life  was  one  ov  progres. 
She  remembers  huen  the  milking 
Was  outdors  in  cold  ov  Winter. 
Nou  the  cous  ar  houzd  and  caird  for, 
Cous  and  cavs  ar  warm  in  bildings, 
Kept  from  wind  and  falling  wether. 

She  remembers  huen  the  chikens 
Had  at  best  a  shed  with  cuver. 
Nou  tha  hav  their  proper  bilding, 
Glazd,  to  giv  them  lite  and  sunshine ; 
And  a  plezur  'twas  to  Jenny, 
Always  plezur,  never  duty, 
Tu  supply  them  food  and  water. 
Never  past  a  da  in  Winter 
Huen  she  did  not  make  a  visit 
Tu  their  hous  tu  se  her  chikens, 
Tauk  tu  them  and  hear  their  ansers. 

Egs  tha  gave  thru  all  the  sezons, 
And  huile  yet  the  ground  was  frozen 


42  Boken. 

Broods  ov  tiny  chix  wer  haching, 
Chix  tu  be  a  care  tu  Jenny, 
Tiny  chix  tu  gro  and  fether, 
Be  the  bigest  ov  the  sezon, 
Be  the  finest  ov  their  species. 

Evry  yer  brot  sum  nu  cumfort: 
Nu  hous  bilt  or  old  made  biger, 
Yard  adornd  and  fence  made  better ; 
Shade  trees  gru,  made  Sumer  plezant, 
Made  a  shade  for  outdor  siting. 
Home  was  beter  furnisht,  neter: 
Evry  yer  brot  sumthing  beter; 
Chairs  and  tabels,  rugs  and  carpets, 
Kichen  ranj  and  parlor  heter, 
Picturs,  boox,  and  then  piano, 
Furst  one  seen  in  Boken  villej. 

Rapines  is  not  in  wasting: 
Rapines  is  joind  with  geting, 
With  impruvment  in  condition. 
Thus  was  Jenny's  gurlhud  happy. 

AT  A  children's  evning  gathring, 
Onoring  with  the  uther  children 
Custom  old  ov  droping  fire  coal — 
Coal  ov  red  oak,  brite  and  gloing — 
Into  water  after  bathing 


Jenny  s  Fortun.  43 

Feet  and  hands  and  face  in  order, 
Furst  the  feet,  the  uthers  after, 
Thinking  thus  tu  get  the  culor 
Ov  the  hair  ov  wife  or  husband, 
Length  and  kind  as  wel  as  culor 
Ov  the  hair  ov  wife  or  husband, 
Ov  the  one  by  fate  apointed: 
Feet  and  hands  and  face  immersing 
In  a  bole  ov  pur  spring  water, 
Jenny  dropt  the  wud  coal,  gloing, 
Dropt  the  coal  intu  the  water, 
Let  the  water  put  the  fire  out, 
Then  dru  out  the  coal  and  broke  it ; 
But  no  hair  or  hair- like  substans 
Found  she  by  her  charcoal  majic. 

Uther  gurls  wer  mor  suxesful, 
Found  huat  lookt  like  hair  ov  human, 
And  in  gurlish  profesying 
Scd  that  Jenny  had  no  husband, 
That  no  man  wud  cum  for  Jenny ; 
She  alon  must  liv  unmarrid. 

Jenny  did  not  qestion  majic, 
Did  not  dout  her  frendly  plamates ; 
Jujd  that  huat  was  held  in  comon 
By  the  children,  by  their  elders, 
Must  cum  tru  in  evry  detail ; 


44  Boken. 

For  as  gron  foke  did  not  scruple 
Tu  repeat  this  old  tradition, 
Keep  alive  this  old-time  custom, 
She  inferd  that  tha  beleevd  it, 
Must  beleev  it  as  tha  told  it. 

Children  hav  their  likes  and  dislikes, 
One  thing  want  and  not  anuther, 
Evry  one  a  taste  peculiar; 
But  their  envy,  emulation, 
Innate  pride,  desire  ov  conqest, 
Stronger  ar  than  consius  wishes. 

Not  a  consius  thot  ov  marrij 
Had  the  gurls  hu  tryd  the  majic. 
In  their  minds  their  gratius  parents 
Had  for  ever  bin  companions 
And  for  ever  wud  be  mated, 
Always  wud  be  fother,  muther; 
Wud  for  ever  be  their  parents, 
And  themselvs  be  always  children. 

Not  distinct  wer  their  ideas, 
Not  in  wurds  cud  tha  expres  them : 
Tha  wer  only  children,  lerning: 
Only  infants,  yet  the  nativ 
Individual  aspiration, 
Inborn  pride  tu  hav  with  uthers, 
Hav  huat  uthers  hav  or  valu, 


A  Better  Fortun.  45 

Muvd  each  one  tu  try,  persist  in, 
Lern  her  futur,  get  her  fortun, 
Wish  tu  get  the  best  ov  fortun. 

Peekt,  annoid,  resentful,  grujing, 
Jenny  left  the  seen  ov  majic, 
Left  the  gurls  hu  teazd  and  vext  her, 
Tuited  her,  uneek  in  fortun, 
Only  one  hu  had  no  husband, 
Hu  no  luver  found  in  charcol ; 
Slipt  awa,  in  darknes  hiding, 
Lonly,  glumy;  took  the  pathwa 
Thru  the  nabor's  yard  and  garden, 
Thru  her  oan  familiar  garden ; 
Reacht  her  doryard  in  the  darknes, 
Not  a  ra  ov  lite  emiting 
From  the  hous  or  clouded  hevens. 

Suddenly  ther  stood  befor  her, 
On  the  wak  ov  sand  and  gravel, 
Form  ov  yuth  distinct  in  outline, 
Yuth,  tho  older,  yet  in  boyhud ; 
Figur  fosforessent,  lited 
From  within  and  shining  outward. 
Kind  the  face,  and  yet  mor  plezant, 
Reathd  in  smile,  yet  brething  wurship 
As  it  seemd,  ov  object  present. 
Not  instinct  was  all  the  body; 


46  Boken. 

Face  alon  betrayd  emotion, 
Shode  the  life  that  laks  in  matter. 
t       Jenny,  in  her  gurlish  sorro, 
Sorro  deep  as  child  ma  suffer, 
Was  not  fritend,  made  no  outcry; 
Sumhou  felt  the  form  was  harmles. 
Spoke  tu  her  a  vois,  a  huisper: 

Yul  hav  sweethart,  yul  hav  husband. 
Huen  the  time  cums  we  I  be  marryd. 
Home  ri  make  huile  yu  ar  groing. 
I'l  be  tru  tu  yu,  and  constant. 
We  wil  wait  our  time  in  patiens. 
In  yor  gurlhud  hav  no  luver, 
Hav  no  uther  man  for  luver, 
Be  not  luver  tu  anuther; 
Keep  yor  hart  for  me,  yor  tru  luv. 

Sloly  then  the  handsum  vizion, 
Tiring,  faded,  melted,  wasted, 
Left  the  yard  in  cam  and  darknes. 

Straitwa  seeking  then  her  muther, 
Jenny  told,  in  childish  manner, 
Ov  her  crushing  disapointment 
Huen  she  found  no  luver,  husband, 
In  the  omen  with  the  charcol: 
Hou  the  vizion  in  the  darknes 


The  Gostly  Luver.  47 

Had  not  startled,  had  not  scaird  her. 

'  He  just  sed  he  was  my  luver 
And  sum  da  wil  be  my  husband. 
I  don't  bleev  I  got  my  fortun 
In  the  blak  and  smutty  charcol. 
I  wil  hav  a  finer  husband 
Than  the  gurls  hu  teazd  and  mokt   me.' 

Mistres  Wilson,  startled,  fritend, 
Let  her  dauter  tel  her  story : 
Lurnd  bi  asking  meny  qestions 
Just  the  effect  ov  the  vizion, 
Lurnd  the  effect  on  her  dauter: 
Found  her  story,  oft  repeated, 
Varyd  not  in  eny  detail : 
Found  her  dauter,  not  extatic, 
Holding  faith  in  gostly  luver : 
Simpathetic,  listend,  qestiond, 
Gathring  meanhuile  self-compozure : 
Smild,  as  Jenny,  nou  encurajd, 
Chose  betueen  the  charcoal  majik 
And  the  vois  ov  fantum  luver. 

'But,  mi  dauter,  tel  no  uther. 
All  the  gurls  and  boys  wil  teez  yu 
If  tha  hear  ov  gostly  luver.' 


V. 


PIONEERS— A  RAILROAD. 

YET  ar  living  thoz  wer  setters, 
Thoz  wer  pioneers  at  Boken, 
Wei  remembring  hou  tha  labord, 
Hou  tha  sufferd  huile  tha  labord; 
Hou  tha  livd  in  houses  open, 
No  foundation,   celing,  plaster; 
Cold  in  Winter,  cold  a  long  time, 
Zero  wether,  sno  and  blizard; 
Flor  planks  shrunken,  fitting  loosly; 
Nuthing  safe  from  frost  and  frezing; 
Houshold  goods  and  clothing  scanty; 
Not  a  hous  or  shed  for  fire  wud. 

Fever,  agu,  chils,   malaria, 
Fever  from  malarial  poison — 
These  suxeded  cold  ov  Winter, 
Robd  the  Spring  ov  hope  and  plezur. 

Fu  the  roads  wer,  ruf  or  muddy ; 
Muny  scarce  and  markets  distant ; 
Only  water  transportation 


Snakes  and  Hogs.  49 

Tu  and  from  the  distant  markets. 
From  the  river  thru  the  cuntry 
Horses  dru  the  cuverd  wagons, 
Dru  the  big  and  little  coches, 
Dru  the  frait  and  carryd  travlers. 
These  old  setlers,  tu,  wil  tel  yu 
Ov  the  rattle  snaix,  the  terror 
Ov  the  huite  man  and  his  cattle, 
Terror  ov  his  fouls  and  horses : 
Tel  yu  hou  the  hogs  destroyd  them, 
Hou  the  hogs  alon  cud  fite  them : 
Hou  the  snaik  egzausted  poison 
Sinking  fangs  intu  the  fatnes 
Ov  the  cheek  ov  lazy  porker, 
Into  cheek  huer  not  a  vain  is, 
Huer  no  blud  ma  carry  poison 
Tu  the  vitals  ov  the  porker: 
Hou  the  ratler,  not  a  runner, 
Tu  the  hog  an  ezy  pra  was: 
Hou  the  hogs,  with  taste  for  snaik  meat 
(Hou  tha  got  it  I'l  not  tel  yu), 
Hunted  out  the  ofidian  family; 
Hunted  serpents  in  the  forest, 
Hunted  them  in  suamp,  on  prary, 
Til  almost  extinct  ar  serpents, 
And  the  hogs  no  mor  ma  wander. 


50  Boken. 

LAND  ov  pioneers  no  longer ! 
Lands  and  roads  ar  shut  tu  setlers, 
Shut  tu  thoz  hu  look  for  homsted: 
Farms  impruvd  and  crops  abundant, 
Neding  nou  but  transportation, 
But  a  hiwa  tu  the  markets, 
That  the  produce  ov  the  farmer 
Ma  be  sold,  exchanjd  for  uther, 
For  the  products  ov  the  citys, 
Ov  the  mines  and  ov  the  factorys, 
Ov  industrys  home  and  foren. 

In  the  days  ov  Tyr  and  Carthaj 
Men  and  beasts,  in  hundreds,  thousands, 
In  grate  caravans  assembling, 
Toild  their  wa  o'er  plains  and  dezerts, 
Over  mountains  hi  and  danjrus, 
Thuro  forests  dark  and  wildring, 
Evryhuer  beset  bi  robbers, 
Taxt  by  selfish,  petty  rulers, 
Plunderd  by  benited  subjects, 
By  the  ignorant,  by  the  jelus, 
Thoz  hu  thot  that  tha  wer  porer 
If  the  trade  gave  uthers  profit. 

On  the  waters,  tu,  wer  traders, 
On  the  seas  and  on  the  otions, 
On  the  rivers,  big  and  little, 


Antient  Enterprize.  51 

Huer  the  vessels  mite  be  carryd, 

Huer  the  sails  and  oars  mite  take  them. 

On  the  waters,  tu,  wer  robbers ; 

Pirats  sharp  as  hungry  egles 

Prayd  on  merchants  and  their  vesels ; 

Wacht  for  cargos  wurth  a  strugel. 

In  the  straits,   the  narro  passes, 

On  the  Cretan  coasts,   at  Corinth, 

Robber  kings  and  tribes  esthetic 

Levid  tax  on  passing  cargos, 

Taxt  the  merchants,  robd  the  salors. 

Rome  made  safe  the  roads  for  travel, 
Sqelcht  the  robers  and  the  pirats. 
Huer  the  Roman  laus  extended 
Roads  wer  made  and  kept  in  order. 
Then  the  travlers  and  the  snipers, 
Thoz  hu  carryd  yerly  tribut 
Tu  the  holy  Roman  city, 
Wer  secur  from  molestation — 
Save  from  thoz  hu  gatherd  taxes, 
Sapt  the  trade  tu  fil  the  coffers 
Ov  the  wurld-renound  republic, 
Ov  the  overgron  republic, 
Ov  the  empire  huich  suxeded. 
Roman  edils  did  their  duty; 
Always  Roman  roads  wer  marvels. 


52  Boken. 

But,  alas,  the  Roman  vurtu — 
Spite  ov  roads  for  travel,  comerce, 
Roads  that  shud  hav  aided  progres — 
Was  engrost  in  war  and  conqest. 

Romans,  prating  loud  ov  fredom, 
Livd  on  tribut  from  their  subjects. 
Fu  wer  then  the  Roman  masters. 
Fu  wer  tha  that  ruld  the  senat, 
Fu  wer  tha  that  oand  an  aker 
Ov  the  ground  in  all  the  empire ! 
Greed  ov  welth  and  greed  ov  pouer, 
Duzens  ruling,   millions  crinjing, 
Braut  their  sure  reward,  destruction! 

Dark,  and  darker,  then  the  darkest 
O !  the  darknes,  dense  and  during ! 
Education,  lurning,  nolle j, 
Art  and  skil,  domestic  syence, 
All  wer  dun  tu  deth  by  pagans, 
By  the  fu  hu  oand  the  hiways. 

Evry  impulse  lo,  degrading, 
Superstition,  couard,  couing, 
Rank  in  groth  and  foul  as  Tifus, 
Ranjd  the  Erth  and  calld  for  victims. 
Roman  lau  and  Roman  custom, 
In  the  harts  ov  placemen  nativ, 
Second  natur  tu  the  despots, 


Antient  Paganism.  53 

Tu  the  majistrates,  the  lictors, 
Slaves  and  scullions  made  the  masses, 
Made  the  conkerd  slaves  and  skullions, 
Made  the  Romans  slaves  and  skullions. 

Aristokrasy,   corrupted, 
Nu  not  modesty,   nor  vurtu. 
Wars  for  conqest,  wars  for  tribut, 
For  the  pouer  tu  levy  taxes, 
For  control  ov  ports  and  customs, 
Made  so  weak  the  Roman  vurtu, 
So  benumd  the  jenius,  consiens, 
That  the  Skythians,   the  Barbarians, 
Marcht  at  wil  and  rekt  for  plezur, 
Unoppozd  by  lau  or  fasces. 

Huat  wer  then  the  Roman  hiways, 
Hu  wer  tha  that  uzd  them,  marching, 
Filling  them  with  beasts  ov  burden, 
With  their  wimen  and  their  children, 
Muving  onward,  southward,  westward, 
Taking  lands  for  homes  and  living  ? 

Can  we  not  our  line  ancestral 
Bakward  trace  tu  thez  rude  Skythians, 
Using  thus  the  Roman  hiways, 
Stamping  out  a  wanton  peple, 
Making  nations  nu  in  Urop, 
Bringing  darknes,  bringing  vurtu  ? 


54  Boken. 

Not  a  safegard,  then,  ar  hi  ways. 
Rongly  uzd,   tha  lead  tu  mischef. 
Ritely  uzd,  tha  shouer  blesing. 
Huat  we  call  our  civilization 
Cud  not  liv  with  een  such  hiways 
As  wer  made  for  Roman  armys, 
Tho  ther  wer  no  taxers,  robers. 
Qiker  transportation,  cheper, 
For  our  commerce  is  demanded. 

Huether  railroads  ar  a  menace, 
Huether  tha  ma  soak  the  profits, 
Get  control  ov  transportation 
(Not  the  railroads,  but  their  oners, 
Just  a  fu  men  hu  control  them), 
Is  a  qestion  for  the  present, 
For  the  present  and  the  futur. 

Romans,  proud  in  Roman  valor, 
Tu  the  senat  gave  their  hiways, 
Tu  the  senat  and  the  pagans, 
Tu  patritians  hu  wer  human, 
Men  hu  uzd  them  for  their  profit, 
In  a  wa  that  stifeld  traffic, 
That  tha  mite  enslave  plebeians. 

Thez  wer  'qestions  raizd  in  Boken, 
Facts  and  statements  urjd  in  Boken, 
Herd  each  da  and  each  da  anserd, 


The  Propositions.  55 

Til  yu'd  think  that  in  the  sqobbel 
All  the  frendship,  all  gud  feeling 
Had  bin  lost  bi  man  and  nabor. 

'Shal  we  vote  tu  tax  the  peple, 
Levy  taxes  for  a  railroad, 
Pa  our  muny,  bild  a  railroad, 
Make  a  hiwa  tu  the  markets?' 

Not  on  this  was  hot  contention. 
But  ther  was  a  strong  objection 
Tu  the  further  propozition, 
That  a  privat  corporation 
Oan,  control  the  road,  the  franchise. 
Tho  the  peple  bild  the  hiwa, 
Giv  the  land  and  bild  the  hiwa, 
Giv  the  muny  for  eqipment, 
Yet  a  duzen  individuals, 
Or  it  ma  be  one  man  only, 
Wil  decide  important  qestions, 
Manaj  all  the  railroad  biznes, 
Set  the  rates  and  take  the  profits, 
Make  and  unmake  touns  and  citys. 

Then  the  voters  cast  their  ballots; 
Taxt  themselvs  and  taxt  their  nabors, 
Gave  the  land  and  gave  their  muny; 
Let  a  fu  men  oan  the  railroad, 
Men  not  seen  or  noan  in  Boken. 


VI. 

ELDER  JONSON— THE   BAPTISTS. 

REVREND  JONSON  was  the  preacher 
Tu  the  villaj  congregation. 
He  it  was  hu  taut  ov  Jesus, 
Taut  the  yung  as  wel  as  old  foke 
All  the  lessons  ov  the  Bibel, 
Best  ov  lessons  in  relijun. 

In  the  days  he  spent  in  collej 
Ov  his  chosen  church,  the  Baptist, 
Meny  startling  innovations 
Shook  the  minds  ov  elder  brethren. 
Ways  ov  old,  the  creeds  ov  centurys, 
Liberal  once,  compard  with  uthers, 
In  the  lite  ov  wider  nollej 
Nou  wer  chex  tu  groth  and  progres. 
Qiet,  thotful,  stedfast,  faithful 
Tu  their  Savior,  tu  their  peple, 
Skolars,  thinkers,  men  ov  syence, 
Thoz  hu  delvd  intu  the  records 
Left  bi  antient  riters,  skulptors; 


Testing  and  Chanjing.  57 

Thoz  hu  lernd  the  rules  ov  lojic, 
Lernd  the  laus  that  guvern  matter; 
Thoz  hu  put  all  facts  tugether, 
Sifted  out  the  truth,  the  error, 
Holding  fast  the  tru,  the  useful, 
Sloly,  surely,  in  the  vangard, 
Led  the  brethren  out  ov  darknes, 
Led  the  sisters  and  the  brethren 
Tu  the  lite  ov  nuer  nollej. 
In  the  skools  and  in  the  pulpits, 
In  their  boox  and  in  their  papers 
Nuer  thauts  replast  the  old  ones. 
Nu  ideas,  nu  creations 
Furst  wer  tested,  then  adopted; 
And  the  nu  wer  far  mor  luvly, 
Not  so  rijid,  yet  mor  Cristian 
Than  the  older,  earlier  tenets, 
Tho  the  older  once  wer  modern, 
In  their  da  advanst  and  liberal. 

Elder  Jonson  came  tu  Boken 
Huen  his  collej  corse  was  ended : 
At  the  prary  villaj  seteld, 
Ther  began  his  chosen  lifework. 

Constant,  stedfast  in  his  calling, 
With  the  formost  ov  his  brethren 
In  the  qest  for  information — 


58  Boken. 

Not  a  student,  bukwurm  only, 

But  a  wach  on  Zion's  touer, 

Redy  tu  dissern  a  danjer 

Tu  his  flok  or  tu  his  cuntry ; 

Redy  tu  reseev  a  messej 

From  the  sorce  ov  inspiration — 

Elder  Jonson  has  in  members, 

In  his  congregation  numbers, 

In  proportion  tu  the  peple, 

Tu  the  number  he  mite  win  from, 

Mor  than  uther  Baptists  hopt  for. 

Members,  tu,   ov  uther  churches, 
Thoz  hu  hav  no  church  relations, 
Prase  the  wurk  ov  Elder  Jonson. 

IN  the  older  Cristian  cuntrys 
Stablisht  churches  ar  suported 
From  the  revenuz,   the  taxes 
Laid  by  lau,  by  lau  collected 
From  the  peple,  all  the  peple; 
Taxes  payd  bi  all  the  peple, 
Uzd  alon  bi  thoz  in  favor 
With  the  party  clothd  with  pouer. 

Rojer  Williams  and  his  peple 
Fled  from  Plimuth  tu  Rode  Hand, 
Fled  from  bigots,  from  oppressors, 


Rojer   Williams.  59 

Hu,  tho  thus  themselvs  had  sufferd, 
Thus  escapt  from  like  oppression, 
Uzd  in  turn  the  same  masheenry 
Tu  oppres  their  Baptist  nabors, 
Force  their  rijid,  narro  notions 
Ontu  all  hu  came  tu  Plimuth: 

Rojer  Williams  (don't  forget  him), 
Not  the  only  but  the  gratest 
In  his  da  ov  nu  formation, 
Huen  the  peple  made  decision, 
Choz  tu  fre  themselvs  compleetly 
From  the  tirany  ov  custom, 
From  the  custom  huich  denyd  them 
Rite  tu  chuz  their  oan  relijun, 
Rite  tu  wurship  God  in  fredom, 
Rite  tu  chuz  and  limit  rulers, 
Rite  tu  make  the  laus  and  chanj  them, 
Levy  taxes  and  repeal  them, 
Sa  huat  taxes  ma  be  levid, 
Sa  hou  long  tha  ma  be  levid. 

Roman  Catholics,  Qakers,  uthers, 
All  that  saut  a  horn  and  fredom, 
Had  a  frend  in  Rojer  Williams, 
In  his  colony  wer  welcomd. 
Here  all  men  as  consiens  suaded 
Wurshipt  God  in  thaut  and  action, 


60  Boken. 

All  in  fredom,  nun  molested. 

Thus  the  Baptist  faith  and  practis 
Ar  for  fredom,  fredom  granting 
Tu  all  uthers,  nun  opressing. 

Self -existent  is  each  body, 
Evry  separat  congregation, 
Self-containd  and  self-suporting, 
Self-possest  and  independent, 
Exersizing  all  the  pouers, 
All  the  hi  prelatic  functions 
Ov  the  most  assuming  preesthud. 
In  its  servis  plain  and  simple, 
In  tradition  democratic, 
It  has  stood  the  cam,  the  tempest, 
In  its  mission  has  bin  ernest. 

ELDER  JONSON'S  congregation, 
Minding  wel  the  Master's  presept 
That  the  wurker  hav  his  wajes, 
Frely  gave  on  all  occasions. 
Not  a  sumptuus  salary,  surely, 
Was  the  precher's  compensation, 
Yet  the  little  family,  groing, 
Had  enuf  for  helth  and  cumfort, 
Had  as  much  as  eny  nabor. 

Not  dependent  was  the  precher 


The  Prechers  Home.  61 

For  his  revenu,  his  living, 
On  the  willing  contributions 
Ov  the  brethren  and  the  sisters. 
Ground  he  took  in  vurjin  prary, 
Ground  not  uzd  befor  by  huite  man, 
Plot  ov  ten  or  duzen  akers, 
Out  ov  villaj  huen  he  bot  it, 
In  the  villaj  ten  yers  after. 

In  a  corner  toard  the  villaj 
Was  a  grove  ov  trees  and  bushes, 
Oak  and  hikry,  ash  and  baswud, 
Hazel  brush  and  smaller  bushes. 

In  the  Spring  time,  erly  April, 
Came  the  precher  and  the  brethren 
With  the  lumber,  brix  and  hardware, 
With  the  sand  and  lime  for  mortar, 
All  supplys  and  tools  for  wurking. 
Elder  Jonson  paid  for  lumber, 
For  the  brix  and  lime  and  hardware, 
And  the  brethren  gave  their  labor. 
Da  by  da  tha  wurkt  tugether : 
Sum  prepard  the  brik  foundation, 
Uthers  plaind  and  saud  the  lumber, 
Made  all  redy  for  the  raising. 

Huen  the  hous  was  lathd  and  shingeld, 
Huile  the  plastrers  did  their  portion, 


62  Bo  ken. 

Brethren  clozd  the  land  with  fenses: 
Dug  a  wel  and  made  a  sistern ; 
Wei  for  drinking  and  for  cooking, 
Water  hard,  not  fit  for  bathing; 
Sistern  for  the  soft  rain  water 
(From  the  duelling  roof  collected, 
In  long  pipes  ov  tin  collected), 
For  the  washing  ov  the  clothing 
And  for  bathing  ov  the  body: 
Bilt  a  barn,  a  shed,  a  stable; 
Made  dividing  fences  round  them : 
Finisht  then  the  inside  wud  wurk ; 
Made  the  hous  compleet  and  handy. 

Mistres  Jonson  and  the  sisters 
Came  and  set  the  home  in  order; 
Clean  and  tidy,  warmd,   inviting, 
Evrything  tu  make  home  plezant. 

Then  the  brethren  and  the  sisters, 
All  the  congregation  gatherd 
For  a  sotial  time,  a  dinner. 
Sum  braut  food  and  sum  braut  dishes, 
Each  braut  sumthing  for  the  repast, 
Braut  the  best  the  home  afforded. 
Not  a  wurd  but  wurd  ov  hope  was; 
Not  one  present  but  was  happy 
In  companionship  most  plezant, 


An  Aniversary  Custom.  63 

In  the  promis  for  the  futur. 

Trees  ther  wer  for  shade  in  Sumer, 
Trees  ov  nativ  groth  and  pretty ; 
Trees  as  wild  as  the  nativ  peple, 
Nativs  hu  but  late  wer  oners 
Ov  thez  lands  nou  held  bi  Cristians. 
Ner  a  hous,  in  yard  or  pastur, 
Nativ  trees  wil  siken,  wither, 
In  the  Spring  time  ceas  tu  burjon, 
Ceas  tu  bud,  mak  leavs  or  branches ; 
As,  insenst  against  intruders, 
Tha  wud  folio,  frely  folio 
Thoz  hu  nu  them,  nu  their  habits, 
Frendly  wer  thru  all  the  sezons ; 
Did  not  ruthlessly  destroy  them, 
Did  not  chanj  their  ways  ov  groing, 
Did  not  chanj  their  shape  bi  triming, 
Did  not  open  wounds  by  lopping 
Loer  lims  or  ends  ov  hi  ones ; 
Did  not  cut  the  roots  and  fibers, 
Did  not  dig  and  grade  around  them. 

Calling  tu  their  minds  the  habit 
Ov  the  nativ  trees  tu  wither, 
Habit  huich  tha  cud  nbt  conker, 
Cud  not  chanj  tu  one  domestic, 
Habit  set  against  all  cultur, 


64  Boken. 

Soon  the  brethren  had  determind 
Tu  replace  the  trees,  the  nativs, 
With  the  cultivable  species, 
With  the  trees  that  thrive  with  cultur. 
One  tha  set,  a  maple  sapling, 
Brot  from  nursry  in  the  villaj, 
From  the  starting  place  for  flouers, 
Froot  trees,  shade  trees,  trees  for  hejes, 
Trees  and  plants  for  prary  farmers. 

In  an  open  space  tha  plaist  it, 
Spot  the  furthest  from  the  nativs, 
In  a  corner  ner  the  roadwa. 
Each  recurring  aniversry 
Tha  wud  set  anuther  shade  tre, 
Leving  all  the  living  nativs, 
Setting  trees  in  vacant  spaces. 

Thus  the  brethren  and  the  sisters, 
Faithful,  luving,  as  a  plezur, 
Made  their  pastor's  home  inviting. 
This  the  ernest  that  his  peple 
Wud  reqite  his  Cristian  servis. 

Not  alon  in  Sunda  meting, 
In  the  mid-week  evning  meting, 
Nor  in  visiting  sik  and  helpless, 
Thoz  in  need  ov  aid  and  cumfort — 
Not  alon  in  thez  and  uther 


The    Wurking  Precher.  65 

Ways  ov  Cristian  ministration 
Was  the  pastor  dilijent,  helpful, 
Making  life  a  plesant  sojurn 
Tu  his  peple,  tu  his  nabors. 

Vurst  he  was  in  horticultur, 
Practist  in  the  art  ov  gardning; 
Had  delite  in  planting  frute  trees, 
Grafting,  cultivating,   triming, 
Keeping  gras  and  weeds  from  choking: 
Wacht  the  trees  in  groth  and  baring ; 
Stimulated  groth  huen  bakward ; 
Huen  tu  forward  grain  he  planted, 
Chekt  the  groth  tu  make  it  normal. 

Evry  kind  ov  frut  and  bery 
Huich  the  soil  and  climat  sufferd 
In  his  garden  wer  in  sezon ; 
Meny  sorts  not  gron  by  nabors, 
Sum  yet  novel,   nu  tu  gardners, 
Erly,  medium,  late  tu  ripen, 
Trees  and  bushes,  vines  in  clusters. 
Such  the  culors,  the  profusion, 
In  the  Spring  and  thru  the  Autum, 
As  wud  daze  the  ize  ov  painters. 

Yers  ov  labor,  yers  ov  waching 
Gave  the  pastor  er  a  harvest 
Braut  reward  in  frut  and  muny, 


66  Boken. 

Braut  reward  huich  frends  despard  ov, 
Sum  frends  thot  wud  never  bles  him. 

Bugs  and  wurms  huz  nams  in  syence, 
In  the  boox  on  horticultur, 
In  botanic  publications — 
Sumtimes  speld  with  all  the  leters ; 
Often  shortend,  dokt  ov  leters, 
With  a  small  round  period  ending, 
Tho  in  ful  nun  nou  pronounce  them, 
Fu,  if  eny,  understand  them 
As  the  Latins  understud  them ; 
If  indeed  the  Latins  had  them, 
Had  such  nams  or  wurds  supernal, 
Wurds  in  form  wel  ni  infernal — 
Bugs  and  wurms,  hou'er  we  call  them, 
Huether  names  ov  Greek  or  Latin, 
Nams  unnoan  or  noan  tu  moderns, 
Came  tu  sap  the  tender  frut  trees, 
Propagate  in  frut  ov  apple, 
Sap  the  roots  and  bore  the  bodys 
Ov  the  chery  and  the  appel. 

O  the  truble  and  the  wury, 
Wurking,  waching,  ever  redy 
For  the  tribes  ov  wurms  and  insects 
Huich  infested  vejetation, 
Huich  annoy d  the  vines  and  bushes. 


The  Contest  with   Vurmin.  67 

Evry  yer  sum  nu  marauders, 
Or  the  old  with  novel  habits, 
Chanj  in  tastes  and  ways  ov  living, 
Tryd  the  pastor's  nerv  and  patiens; 
Seemd  immune  from  all  contriving, 
Safe  from  all  his  art  and  vijil. 

Fu  the  instances  ov  failur ; 
Seldom  did  the  vurmin  conker; 
Yet  sumtimes  the  pastor  yeelded 
And  destroyd  the  tre  and  vurmin ; 
Burnd  tugether  tre  and  vurmin, 
And  replaist  the  tre  with  uther. 


VII. 

THE    PRINTERS— THE  ARGON. 

AH  ME!   here's  a  techy  subject! 
No  enforst  imajination, 
No  exotic  thaut  or  lojic, 
Never  student,  jenius,  poet — 
No,  nor  pamist,  fortun  teller, 
Census  taker,   tax  assessor, 
Plarite,   minstrel,  story  teller, 
Frenolojo-sykic  gesser, 
Sociolojo-  polititian — 
One  nor  all  can  ever  settle, 
Giv  the  printer's  rank  and  status, 
Ges  his  makup,  ges  the  mezur 
Ov  the  matter  in  his  makup. 

Art  preservativ  he  calls  it ; 
Art  that  saves  from  fel  oblivion 
All  the  history,  all  the  records 
Ov  the  uther  arts,  ov  syence ; 
Keeps  in  print  for  futur  workers 
All  that's  noan  toda  ov  syence. 


The  Conservativ  Art.  69 

Not  aloan  the  worded  pictur, 
Ful  description  ov  each  presses, 
But  the  printed  likenes  also 
Is  preservd  in  boox,  on  paper, 
Kept  so  wel  that  men  herafter 
Ma  retrace  the  corse  ov  progres, 
Ma  retreev  huat's  lost,  abandond, 
For  a  sezon  qite  forgotten, 
Huen,  in  uther  situation, 
Uther  circumstans,  condition, 
It  complects  a  combination, 
Is  restord  to  use  and  favor. 
"Sans  the  printer's  art  no  syence 
Wud  be  safe  from  retrogression. 
O  thou  toiler  most  important 
In  an  aij  that  boasts  ov  progres, 
Art  thou  consius  in  thy  station  ? 
Dost  thou  ken  thy  mity  pouer  ? 
Anser  not :  thou  canst  not  anser. 

All  the  vast  industrial  interests, 
All  the  vast  comertial  muvments, 
All  the  means  ov  distribution 
Ov  the  nues  and  ov  the  products 
Ar  dependent  on  the  printer. 
Telegraf  and  postal  servis 
Carry  messajes  and  letters 


70  Boken. 

From  one  person  tu  anuther; 

Bulletins  and  flaming  posters, 

As  ov  old  the  public  cryers, 

Ma  conva  the  nues  to  meny, 

Tu  the  peple  hu  ma  pas  them : 

But  the  printer,  for  a  trifle, 

Sends  the  nues  to  meny  persons; 

Sends  the  prices  in  the  markets, 

All  the  nues,  events  huile  passing, 

The  announsments  for  the  futur; 

Advertizes  biznes  houses, 

Tels  huat  each  has,  tels  ov  bargans; 

Tels  hu  bys  the  farmers'  produce  ; 

Evrything  the  public  calls  for — 

Syence,  politics,  relijun, 

Biznes  and  the  world  fmantial, 

Sotial  gathrings,  sports,  amuzments, 

Axidents  and  luky  fortun — 

Til  yu'd  think  he  was  a  mine  ov 

Nollej  and  ov  information. 

If  yu  think  so,  go  and  ask  him 

Sumthing  simple,  sumthing  ezy. 

His  to  ask,  not  anser  qestions. 

CAME  to  Boken  William  Patton; 
Came  to  print  a  weekly  paper, 


The  City  Printer.  71 

Du  the  little  jobs  ov  printing 

Needed  bi  the  biznes  peple — 

Bilheds,  noteheds,  cards  and  statements, 

Posters,  notices  and   pamflets — 

Came  on  jeneral  invitation 

Ov  the  merchants  ov  the  villaj ; 

Came  with  little  means  or  muny ; 

Uzd  the  credit  ov  the  merchants, 

With  their  nolle j,  bi  agrement, 

Fitted  out  a  modest  offis, 

Baut  a  pres  and  stok  ov  paper — 

Huat  the  rural  printer  starts  with. 

Mister  Patton  was  a  workman 
With  the  city  ways  and  habits; 
Had  bin  wont  to  set  the  copy 
Huich  a  host  ov  riters  furnisht 
Nou  himself  must  make  the  copy, 
Hear  reports  and  scribble  copy, 
Be  the  editor,  the  forman, 
Be  compositor  and  presman, 
Biznes  manajer  and  maler. 

In  the  city  there  was  pa  da; 
Once  a  week  he  got  his  wajes: 
Had  no  truble  with  collecting, 
With  reseets  for  dribs  ov  muny, 
With  the  boox  or  uther  charjes 


72  Boken. 

Huich  made  wurk  for  meny  experts. 
Here  the  peple,  the  subscribers, 
Patrons  ov  the  Weekly  Argon, 
Men  and  wimen,  all  the  children, 
Came  tu  se  the  villaj  printer, 
Tauk  and  gossip  with  the  printer; 
Came  huen  tha  wer  fre  and  idle, 
Had  ov  time  and  qestions  plenty; 
All  ways  non  persona  gratis, 
With  the  printer  unconjenial. 

Not  much  work  the  Argon  calld  for. 
Paper  came  with  one  side  printed — 
Jeneral  nues  and  misellany, 
Intersperst  with  advertizements, 
With  the  ads  ov  meny  citys — 
Leving  blank  tu  inside  pajes 
For  the  local  advertizements 
And  the  sqibs  ov  local  matter: 
Tu  days'  wurk  for  William  Patton. 

All  the  railroads  issu  passes, 
Make  no  charj  tu  rural  printers ; 
Issu  passes  for  the  favors 
Huich  the  printers  ma  conseed  them. 
Favors  these  in  printing  items, 
Printing  tables  ov  their  time  cards, 
Telling  patrons  ov  the  passing 


A  Jolly    Time.  73 

Ov  the  trains,  and  time  ov  passing ; 

Giving  all  the  information 

Huich  the  railroads  giv  to  patrons ; 

And  supressing  uther  matter 

Huich  mite  work  against  the  railroads. 

Mister  Patton  uzd  his  passes, 
Visits  made  to  hants  in  city, 
Hants  but  lately  left  in  city; 
There  renued  his  sotial  natur. 

Fello  printers,  glad  to  meet  him, 
Glad  to  se  a  prosperus  comrad, 
Gave  him  all  their  time,  attention, 
Drank  his  helth  in  beer  and  huisky, 
Drank  it  erly,  late  and  often ; 
Smokt  segars  and  taukt  ov  comrads, 
Ov  arrivals  and  departurs ; 
Ov  the  chances  now  for  subing, 
How  the  boys  wer  faring  better 
Or  wer  faring  worse  than  ever ; 
Ov  the  strings  and  ov  the  bonus ; 
Ov  the  shylok,  ov  the  lunch  man ; 
How  Pat  Greedy  beat  the  shylok, 
Jumpt  his  cases,  left  the  city. 

Thus  the  comrads,  drinking,  smoking, 
Rekking  not  ov  Erth  or  Heven, 
Ov  the  yesterdays,  tomorros, 


74  Boken. 

Thinking  ov  the  moment  only, 
Banisht  care  in  present  plezur. 

There  was  left  to  Billy  Patton, 
Tukt  awa  in  inside  poket, 
Railroad  pass  to  Boken  villaj. 

Bils  for  stok,  for  boiler  plating 
(Matter  set  and  cast  in  colums), 
Rent  ov  offis,  bord  and  lojing, 
Paments  on  the  pres  and  outfit, 
Meny  little  bils  neglected, 
Causd  the  biznes  men  to  worry, 
Ask  for  statement,  strict  accounting. 

But  our  Billy,  no  accountant, 
Left  the  bils  unpaid,  uncounted, 
Went  to  sort  with  jenial  comrads. 

Those  hu  sined  the  printer's  du  bils, 
Tu  the  printer  loand  their  credit, 
Payd  the  bils  and  kept  the  outfit, 
For  anuther  printer  kept  it, 
For  a  printer  hu  wud  serv  them, 
Print  the  Argon,  du  the  job  work. 

Advertizement  was  inserted 
In  a  printers'  publication : 

BUSINESS  CHANCE. — A  country  office, 
Free  from  debts,  for  sale  to  party 
Who  can  pay  one -half  in  money. 
Only  steady  man  need  answer. 


The  Stedy  Printer.  75 

That  the  patrons  mite  not  wurry, 
Mite  not  daly  ask  them  qestions, 
On  the  frunt  the  merchants  posted, 
On  the  offis  dor  tha  posted 
This  announsment,  as  yu  se  it, 
Tho  not  printed  there,  but  ritten : 

NO    T  I   C  E   ! 

Publication  of 
The  Argon  will  resume. 

Subscribers 
Will  receive  the  Papers  Paid  for. 

CAME  a  printer  then  tu  Boken, 
Not  a  city  printer  wandring : 
Lookt  the  toun  and  outfit  over, 
Thaut  anuther  pres  was  neded, 
Little  jober  for  the  small  wurk; 
Job  type,  rule  (the  labor-saving), 
Leds  and  slugs  ov  varius  mezurs, 
Tu  mor  raks,  and  ful  ov  cases, 
Cases  for  the  job  fonts  neded. 
All  thez  things  the  printer  wanted, 
And  sum  uthers,  not  so  costly. 
All  thez  things  himself  wud  furnish, 


76  Bo  ken. 

Ask  no  help  from  Boken  peple, 
In  his  oan  name  get  them,  by  them, 
If  tha'd  giv  the  Patton  outfit, 
Thus  ofset  the  payd  subscriptions. 

Thus  was  subsidizd  the  Argon, 
Subsidizd  to  Jon  O.  Watson, 
And  at  once  he  took  posession: 
Baut  on  time  the  pres  et  cetera ; 
Gave  his  note  and  morgaj,  cuvering 
Both  the  presses,  all  material 
In  the  Argon  offis,  Boken. 

Fancy  printer  was  Jon  Watson, 
Did  good  work  and  pleazd  the  patrons. 
Pleazd  them  in  his  spritely  paper, 
In  his  tidy  job  work  pleazd  them. 

Mistres  Watson  helpt  her  husband; 
Did  the  little  chores  and  errands, 
Herd  the  nues  and  rote  the  items, 
Kept  the  boox,  addrest  the  papers : 
Mor  juditius  was  in  biznes 
Than  the  printer  man,  her  husband. 
Never  had  she  taste  for  houswork ; 
She  had  taste  for  sumthing  hyer, 
Nobler,  mor  remunerativ; 
Thaut  to  help  her  husband  upward, 
Rase  him  from  his  lo  condition, 


The  Printers  Ambitius    Wife.  77 

Elevate  him  in  position, 
In  the  worldly  estimation. 

Hard  tha  workt,   made  evry  penny 
Huich  the  biznes  wud  afford  them. 
Advertizements  in  the  Argon 
Braut  them  credits,  sqard  expenses ; 
Job  work  kept  the  printer  bizzy, 
Sumtimes  an  assistant  also. 

But,  alas!  at  end  ov  twelvmunth, 
With  renuing  ov  subscriptions, 
With  the  annual  tide  ov  munny 
Huich  the  rural  printer  counts  on 
Huen  he  thinks  ov  bils  and  profits, 
Tha  cud  not  redeem  their  plejes, 
Cud  not  pa  the  dets  contracted 
Huen  tha  took  the  Argon  offis ; 
In  their  wa  ov  living  cud  not 
La  their  plans  and  save  the  munny. 

Thru  the  yer  the  peple  envyd 
Man  and  wife,  hu  livd  in  plenty, 
Never  seemd  in  lak  ov  munny; 
Allways  happy  wer  and  plesant, 
Allways  redy  for  diversion, 
For  amuzment,  indors,  outdors. 
Huen  their  biznes  mite  not  suffer ; 
Redy,  tu,  for  grave  occasions ; 


78  Bo  ken. 

Cumfort  braut  to  those  in  sorro. 
Scarce  a  munth  wer  tha  in  Boken 
Til  the  peple  nu  them,  liked  them. 

SHADE  ov  Franklin !  shade  ov  Greeley ! 
Shades  ov  all  the  [duzzen  ?]  printers — 
Actual  printers,  case- try d  printers, 
Printers  hu  cud  ern  a  living 
Working  at  the  case  for  uthers, 
Du  their  work  as  uthers  orderd ; 
Printers  hu  hav  manajd  biznes, 
Bin  succesful  in  the  biznes — 
Can  yu  not  pik  out  a  printer 
Hu  can  run  a  weekly  paper, 
Du  the  job  work  for  the  villaj, 
Pa  his  bils  and  save  sum  munny 
As  du  uther  biznes  peple  ? 

But  the  shades,  amuzd,  wer  wary; 
Wud  not  take  a  chance  ov  luzing 
Een  the  little  credit  du  them. 

Yet  anuther  printer  offerd — 
Jorj  I.  Stevens;  I.  for  Izak — 
And  with  wife  and  children  settled, 
Made  a  home  and  name  in  Boken. 
Yu  shal  hear  ov  them  herafter. 


VIII. 

THE  SKOOLS— THE  TEACHERS. 

Now  I  TEL  ov  skools  and  teachers, 
Tel  ov  groth  ov  skools  and  lerning 
In  the  nassent,  booming  villaj. 

Huer  the  skoolhous  first  erected, 
Hous  ov  logs  with  interspacing 
Ov  the  mud  at  hand  and  redy — 
Huer  this  skoolhous  stood  in  forest 
Nou  yu  find  a  stately  structur: 
Brik  and  stone,  in  cement  mortar, 
Windos  glazd  and  wudwork  painted ; 
Steam  pipes  from  a  furnas  leading, 
From  a  boiler  in  the  furnas, 
Carry  heat  to  meny  chambers, 
Rooms  huer  children  sit  in  cumfort, 
Huer  the  teachers  and  the  children 
Du  the  skool  work,  all  in  cumfort. 

Slaby  benches,  once  the  fashon, 
Benches  long,  on  pegs  reposing, 
With  no  bax  for  wery  children, 


8o  Boken. 

Not  a  place  for  boox  or  paper, 
Ar  replast  with  seats  for  cumfort; 
Seat  and  desk  nou  go  tugether, 
Plaind  and  varnisht,  each  one  furnisht 
With  an  ink  stand,  pens  and  pencils, 
And  a  place  for  boox  and  trifles : 
Little  seats  for  little  children, 
Biger  seats  for  biger  children, 
That  each  one  alon  ma  study ; 
Nuthing  be  tu  hinder  study, 
Evrything  tu  help  in  study. 

If  we  had  not  seen  this  wunder, 
If  we  nu  not  ov  the  groing 
Ov  the  skools  and  ov  the  sistem, 
And  we  herd  a  travler  telling 
Ov  such  groth  in  land  ov  Sundy, 
We  wud  think  ov  Eli  Perkins, 
Ov  the  man  hu  sees  thru  glasses 
With  the  majic  pouers  ov  Mite  Be. 

But  we'v  seen  the  groth,  and  no  it; 
No  the  gud  and  no  the  evil, 
No  that  gud  with  evil  mixes. 

Hold  your  pace;  don't  spurt  or  sputter: 
Slacken  not,  nor  get  excited. 

This  the  saing,  set  for  copy, 
In  the  erly  days  at  Boken, 


The  Furst   Teacher.  Si 

Huen  the  skool  was  nu  at  Boken. 
This  was  drild  in  mind  and  memory 
Ov  the  children,  big  and  little, 
And  the  teacher,  Jon  O' Conor, 
Gave  interpretation  frely: 
'Lern  the  lessons  in  their  order; 
Take  yor  time  and  se  them  clerly. 
Better  no  the  wurds,  their  meaning, 
No  their  force  in  frase  and  sentence, 
Giv  one  book  a  thuro  study, 
Than  tu  hurry  thru  a  duzen. 
Dabs  intu  a  duzen  studys, 
Only  dabs  tha  ar  for  children, 
Tu  the  hevy  bring  confusion, 
Tu  the  minds  reflectiv,  cautius ; 
Bring  exitement  tu  the  activ, 
Tu  the  qik  and  smart  and  flity. 
All  shud  lern  tu  read  and  sifer, 
Lern  arithmetic  and  riting. 
Thez  make  up  an  education ; 
Bring  out  latent  nativ  pouers; 
Fit,  eqip  the  child  for  action. 
Thez  the  children  all  shud  master, 
Lern  them  wel,  and  then  look  further.' 

From  the  start  the  Boken  children 
Wer  instructed  in  essentials. 


82  Bo  ken. 

Sloly  wer  tha  taut  in  spelling, 
Taut  in  riting  and  in  reading; 
Lernd  the  use  ov  words  and  f razes, 
Lernd  the  work  in  number  problems. 
Huen  in  these  tha  nu  their  lessons, 
Children  lernd  in  these  the  lessons, 
These  the  elements,  the  bases, 
Evry  corse  was  then  electiv, 
All  had  chois  ov  branch  or  branches, 
Lernd  huat  seemd  their  predilection, 
Huat  tha  thaut  tha'd  hav  a  use  for, 
In  a  biznes  wa  or  sotial. 

WITH  increase  in  population, 
With  the  skoolhous  nu  and  biger, 
Hear  the  peple  in  their  wisdom, 
In  their  ignorance  and  their  wisdom, 
Tauk  for  chanjes  in  curriculum ; 
For  a  modern  corse  ov  study, 
For  the  old  one,  normal,  simple, 
For  a  compromize,  a  compound. 

Votes  agane  decided  qestions — 
Gave  this  time  to  compromizers 
Ful  control  in  all  departments, 
Chose  directors  hu  had  favord 
Fuest  chanjes  in  the  studys, 


Lor  en  Fillips.  83 

Little  chanjes,  yet  departing 
From  the  corse  ov  Jon  O'Conor, 
And  his  resignation  follod. 

Loren  Fillips,  first  assistant, 
Jon  O' Conor's  first  assistant, 
Nou  espouzd  the  nu  ideals, 
Minded  wel  his  meny  dutys ; 
Chose  as  helpmeet  Lissy  Burton, 
Long  a  skoolmate,  frend  and  nabor, 
In  the  eastern  land,  their  homeland ; 
And  their  children,  three  in  number, 
In  their  speech  and  in  deportment 
Testify  the  home  wel  guvernd. 

Loren  yet  is  master  teacher ; 
Not  the  chois  ov  all  the  patrons — 
That  no  mortal  cud  or  shud  be — 
But  ov  much  the  larjer  number. 

Like  their  teacher  ar  the  children: 
All  the  children,  tu,  ar  workers. 
Like  a  behive  is  the  skoolroom : 
Not  like  bees  ar  yet  the  children. 
In  the  behive  drones  and  workers 
Liv  tugether  all  the  sezon. 
Working  bees  bring  in  the  hunny, 
Gather  hunny  from  the  flowers, 
From  the  trees  and  plants  that  blossom, 


84  Boken. 

From  the  frute  huen  ripe  and  bursting, 
Evrything  that  yeelds  them  sweetness. 
In  the  hive  the  drones  du  nuthing, 
Liv  a  lazy  life  and  peaceful. 
In  the  skoolroom  all  ar  workers. 
Not  alike  ar  all  in  study: 
Sum  ar  brite  in  thaut  and  action ; 
Sum  ar  slo,  methodic,  certain ; 
Yet  each  one  performs  his  duty. 
Sum  ar  smart  in  figurs,  numbers, 
Yet  ar  dul  in  spelling,  reading; 
Sum  exel  in  reading,  grammar, 
And  ar  dul  in  number  problems. 

Sum  ungratius  teachers  argu 
That  the  children  shud  be  graded, 
Shud  be  set  apart  in  classes, 
All  alike  advance  in  studys ; 
Put  in  separat  rooms  and  classes, 
So  advance  in  all  their  studys, 
All  advance  in  line  tugether, 
That  at  end  ov  term  or  qarter 
Nun  shal  be  behind  or  forward, 
All  recite  the  graded  lessons. 

If  a  little  dul  in  spelling, 
Dul  in  reading  or  in  languaj, 
Tho  in  numbers  tru  and  redy, 


Procrustean   Grading. 

Then  the  child,  yes,  all  the  children 
Ar  retarded  in  their  studys, 
Forst  in  one,  restraind  in  uther, 
In  the  vain  attemt  to  mold  them, 
From  the  normal  chanj  their  statur: 
As  ov  old  Damastes'  victims 
Wer  outstrecht  on  bed  ov  iron ; 
If  tu  long  their  legs  he  shortend, 
If  tu  short  he  strecht  them  longer, 
Til,  huen  all  laid  out  tugether, 
All  wer  ov  the  hite  procrustean, 
All  wer  in  procrustean  mezur. 

Bi  the  truth,  huile  I'm  with  Attiks, 
Let  me  giv  Athenian  teachers, 
Ajes  later  than  Damastes — 
Attiks,  tu,  as  wer  Damastes 
And  his  band  ov  jolly  robbers — 
Credit  for  as  barbarus  practis 
As  made  famus  cruel  Damastes. 
For  Athenian  yuths  wer  graded, 
All  advanst  in  line  together 
As  if  all  had  eqal  pouers, 
Similar  tastes  and  predilections. 

As  Themistokles  in  Athens, 
Yeelding  not  his  nativ  self  hud, 
Seldom  from  his  purpos  suerving, 


86  Boken. 

Stood  intact  amung  his  fellos 
And  preservd  his  innate  jenius, 
Savd  himself,  the  state,  his  peple, 
So  our  teacher,  Loren  Fillips, 
Slitely  yeelding  tu  directors, 
Tu  sum  patrons  and  their  clamors, 
Yet  preservd  thru  nois  and  crisis 
Nerly  all  the  former  fredom. 

So  arranjd  wer  all  the  classes 
That  a  pupil  slo  in  numbers 
Need  not  wait  in  uther  studys; 
Mite  advanse  in  uther  studys, 
Go  from  one  to  uther  teacher, 
Go  from  room  to  room  for  classes 
With  the  chanjing  recitations. 
Grades  there  wer  in  evry  study, 
And  the  pupils  all  wer  graded 
In  the  classes,  in  each  study, 
Just  as  tho  ther  was  no  uther. 
Sum  went  far  ahed  in  numbers, 
Sum  went  far  ahed  in  speling, 
Sum  in  reading,  riting,  languaj. 

Thus  it  is  in  life's  employments: 
Sum  need  hyer  mathematics; 
Sum  the  hyest  gramar,  retoric; 
Sum  jeografy  and  travel; 


Natural  Grading.  87 

Sum  need  little  els  than  jenius, 
Nativ  jenius,  fre,  untrameld, 
Not  confuzd  by  tastless  studys. 

Evry  yer  a  grater  number 
Finish  out  their  days  ov  skooling, 
Stay  in  skool  til  lauful  limit 
Has  bin  reacht  in  aj  or  studys. 
As  a  mark  ov  glad  occasion, 
Ov  respect  to  yung  ambition, 
Tu  the  persevering  students, 
Tu  the  teachers  and  the  parents, 
All  the  peple  ar  invited, 
And  the  closing  exercises 
Make  a  holida  in  Boken. 


IX. 

CLAS  OV  '98— THE   THESES. 

LEND  us,  Muzes,  wurds  and  frazes, 
With  the  poet's  license  gift  us: 
Let  Kalliope,  heroic, 
Lend  us  eloqense  in  versing, 
That  we  be  not  cold  or  frenzid ; 
Let  creativ  Klio  lead  us 
In  the  ways  ov  tru  historian  ; 
Erato,  in  luv  and  lyrics, 
Sweten,  soften  thou  the  verses, 
Let  the  strength  be  strength  in  buty; 
Let  Polumnia  set  the  mezur, 
Critic  be,  and  emendator; 
Let  the  jeometric  Thalia, 
In  her  pastoral -comic  province, 
Help  in  grace  ov  rustic  humer; 
Let  Urania,  in  her  offis, 
Here  preside  as  with  her  sisters, 
Hav  regard  tu  star -lit  heven ; 
Let  Euterpe,  harmonizer, 


A  Pioneer  Custom.  89 

With  her  flute  ov  reed,  her  ensine, 
Tho  unseen,  lend  inspiration ; 
Let  Melpomene,  protean, 
Ad  conseet  and  bredth  ov  vizion ; 
Een  Terpsichore,  the  dancer, 
Grace  ma  ad  in  act,  in  jestur, 
And  tho  last  we  wud  not  spare  her, 
Wud  hav  nine,  not  ait,  the  Muzes: 
Be  not  deef  tu  our  entrety; 
Ma  each  find  in  this  preceding 
Scope  for  spetial  god -like  pouers. 

As  in  antient  days  in  Boken, 
Huen  the  houses  ov  the  setlers 
Wer  tu  cold  or  warm  for  metings, 
Had  nor  room  nor  seats  nor  liting 
For  a  meting,  Winter,   Sumer, 
Out  ov  dors  the  peple  gatherd— 
In  the  shade  in  heat  ov  Sumer; 
In  an  open  place,  in  sunshine, 
In  the  cool  ov  Spring  and  Autum— 
So  the  azur  ski,  the  sunshine, 
Stil  invite  outdors  the  peple 
At  the  annual  skool  comensment. 

On  a  jently  sloping  hilside, 
Home  ov  thik,  umbrajus  forest, 
Nativ  trees  yet  unmolested, 


90  Boken. 

In  the  skool  grounds,  ner  the  skoolhous, 
Is  a  rustic,  anteek  platform. 
Here  we'l  se  the  happy  children, 
Se  the  faces,  hear  the  theses 
Ov  the  masters  and  the  misses, 
Class  ov  '98,  poetic. 
Mister  Fillips  wil  inform  us, 
From  the  platform  he  wil  tel  us 
Hou  the  children  rote  their  theses, 
Hou  tha  came  to  rite  in  verses, 
Sum  in  rime  and  all  in  mezur. 

Thurteen  boys  and  gurls  the  number: 
Six  the  gurls,   the  boys  wer  seven. 
Huite  the  dresses,   dekt  with  ribbons, 
Ribbons  wide  and  ribbons  narro, 
All  the  iridessent  cullers. 
Boys  wer  drest  in  simple  manner, 
Not  alike,  nor  yet  in  contrast; 
Neatly  drest  for  Summer  wether. 

From  his  seat  upon  the  platform 
Furst  arose  the  hed  director. 
Fu  his  words,  almost  in  huisper, 
And  the  preacher,   Revrend  Jonson, 
Led  in  prair  for  skool  and  peple. 
Then  a  song  bi  all  the  children 
Closd  the  opening  exercises. 


The   Teacher  Explains.  91 

One  hu  lurnd  but  speling,  reading, 
Ov  arithmetic  the  bases, 
Did  a  little  wurk  in  fractions, 
In  the  time  alloud  for  skooling 
In  his  erly  days  and  bizzy, 
In  anuther  land,  er  Boken 
Had  a  name  in  public  records — 
Abner  Renolds,  hed  director, 
Told  ov  groth  in  welth  and  lurning, 
Ov  the  progres  ov  the  peple, 
Ov  the  past  ov  hope  and  curaj, 
Ov  the  sacrifis,  the  labor, 
Ov  the  grate  reward  alredy 
And  the  grater  things  yet  hopt  for. 

Nou  the  teacher,  Loren  Fillips, 
Ever  listning  tu  his  pupils, 
Rose  and  thus  adrest  the  peple, 
Tho  er  this  he  had  not  dun  so, 
At  commensments  had  not  spoken : 

'  Hertofor  the  theses,  papers, 
All  adresses  ov  the  students, 
During  skool  and  at  comensments, 
Hav  in  skool -room  proz  bin  ritten, 
In  the  common  form  and  frazes. 
Then  hou  cums  this  grate  departur  ? 
Huy  attemt  the  harder  vursing? 


92  Boken. 

This  the  pupils  wish  their  teachei 
To  explain  to  all  the  peple. 
Studying  grammar,  composition, 
Lerning  nicest  shaids  ov  meaning, 
Uzing  words  not  in  the  common, 
Seldom  hurd,  or  found  in  reading. 
Words  huich  shud  not  be  neglected, 
Words  preservd  by  living  poets, 
All  the  clas,  the  teacher  also, 
Took  for  daly  exersizes 
Poems  old  as  the  English  languaj ; 
Poems  by  our  nativ  riters, 
Sum  ov  sens  and  sum  ov  nonsens, 
All  containing  words  and  idioms 
Huich  belong  to  English  classics, 
Tu  the  works  we  all  hav  hurd  ov. 
Reading,  studying  thus  the  poets, 
Often  in  our  exersizes 
Substituting  words  and  frazes, 
Trying  thus  our  depth  ov  nollej, 
Gajing  strength,  extent  ov  memory 
In  recalling  words  for  riming, 
All  the  words  ov  similar  endings, 
In  pronunciation  versant, 
In  their  sounds  as  smooth  as  floing, 
Mor  presize  became  the  meaning, 


Elmer  Stevens.  93 

Hyer,  tu,  the  thaut  and  feeling. 
Hense  the  pupils  rote  their  theses 
In  their  best  ov  rime  and  mezur. 
Not  alike  their  tastes  in  versing, 
Each  one  choz  a  vurs  peculiar. ' 

'We?1  sed  sum  one.    'Nou  he's  truthful. 
He  has  helpt  on  evry  paper.' 
'All  the  teachers  hav  bin  helpers,' 
Sed  anuther.     Then  was  silence. 
Techers,  parents  wer  as  silent, 
Wer  as  dum  tu  such  reproches 
As  a  gas  man  in  a  city, 
As  a  gas  man  with  a  charter 
Huich  reqires  interpretation. 

ELMER  STEVENS,  brite  and  witty, 
Furst  tu  meet  expectant  faces, 
Nu  the  peple,  hou  tu  take  them ; 
Was  with  staj  frite  unaqainted. 

Lest  yu  no'  not  ways  ov  printer 
I  wil  tel  yu,  er  he  reads  it, 
That  'twas  ritten  for  the  Argon, 
For  the  reading,  not  the  hearing. 
If  yu  wish  tu  get  the  matter, 
No  huat  Elmer  reads,  the  meaning, 
By  his  paper  huen  'tis  printed. 


94  Boken. 

SALUTATORY. 
BY   ELMER    STEVENS. 

A  harty  welcum  our  clas  extends 
To  parents,  patrons,  to  all  our  frends, 
On  this  occasion,  huen  study  ends, 
Huen  skool  life  yeelds  to  the  life  that  trends 
To  riper  thauts  and  with  biznes  blends. 

Almost  as  infants  we  came  to  skool, 
Tu  yung  and  tender  to  keep  a  rule. 
The  childish  mind,  in  its  plastic  state, 
Had  not  a  chois  but  to  simulate 
The  acts  and  wurds  ov  the  mor  sedate. 
As  strength  ov  mind  and  ov  body  gru 
We  took  on  habits,  began  tu  vu 
A  wurld  in  natur,  and  tu  constru 
The  laus  ov  life,  and  ov  matter,  tu. 

A  helping  sol  with  a  thautful  ame, 
At  home,  in  skool  and  in  plaful  game, 
Restraind,  encurajd  and  savd  from  shame 
Huen  yuthful  spirit  was  wild  or  tame. 

To  lern  the  letters  we  furst  adrest 
Our  buding  minds,  with  but  fitful  zest: 
We  sau  no  rezon  in  form  or  sound, 
And  wunderd  huy  tha  wer  not  all  round ; 
Then  wunderd  huy  ther  wer  five  in  pound, 
And  huy  thre  leters  wud  not  spel  drowned. 
Our  harts  wer  broken  huen  techer  f round, 


Salutatory.  95 

Huen  letters  tu  fu  or  tu  meny  wer  found, 
And  sumtimes  thaut  that  he  was  aground. 

Hou  slo  and  tedius  wer  those  long  days, 
The  time  we  lost  in  the  spelling  maze ; 
Huile  lerning  baize  in  its  hazy  phase, 
Huile  chusing  phonics  for  yeas  and  raise 
And  forming  phrases  with  weighs  and  Hayes. 
With  these  and  seize  and  with  frieze  and  frees, 
And  the  uther  forms,  huich  yu  find  in  Friese, 
In  fleas  and  freeze,  we  cud  hav  no  ease. 

And  huen  we  sighed,  in  the  later  times, 
For  longer  words  to  make  up  our  rimes, 
The  contumatius,  the  orthodox 
Alike  made  trubble,  and  Sioux  and  Sacs 
Mor  fractius  never  wer  than  the  blocks 
Ov  variant  letters  in  lochs  and  loughs. 
Then  tension,   cession,  pretentious,  fence, 
Defense,  pretension,  prevention,  sense, 
Quintessence,   crescence,  the  verb  incense, 
Cretaceous,  session,  like  slough  and  slough, 
And  dough  and  dough,  brought  their  own  rebuff. 

Huen  languaj  lessons  we  reacht  in  corse 
We  lernd  the  use  ov  the  words,  their  sorce, 
Their  place  in  sentence,  their  groops  and  force. 
Ov  all  the  sorts  ov  our  nativ  speech 
The  verb,  the  adjectiv,  the  adverb,  each, 
Can  rais  mor  dout  than  the  uther  six. 
Tha  seem  to  laf  as  the  careless  fix 


96  Boken. 

Adverbial  forms  to  anomalus  verbs; 
As,  'Safely  came  the  refreshing  erbs.' 
But  'drinking  deeply'  or  'drinking  deep" 
Has  causd  gramarians  to  luz  their  sleep 
Since  Pope  rote  both  in  a  qatrain  vurse 
And  berrid  the  ke  to  the  skolar's  curse. 

Sum  common  wurds  hav  engajd  us  much; 
As  only,  possible  and  so  and  such  ; 
Then  should,  considerable,  the,  again 
Hav  causd  a  dout  as  tu  hu  is  sane. 
If  a  is  uh,  then  shud  way  be  wuh. 
If  the  is  thuh,  then  shud  he  be  huh. 

A  duzen  wurds  shud  be  dropt  from  boox 
Or  qite  reformd  in  their  sense  or  loox, 
Their  sound  and  uses,  and  luz  their  croox. 

Ov  all  the  studys  in  children's  qest 
Arithmetic  is  in  practis  best. 
Here  all  the  facultys  cum  in  use 
In  mental  effort  without  abuse. 
The  wurk  is  dun  along  lojical  lines, 
All  staikt  and  pointed  with  practical  sines. 
The  uther  studiz  ma  help  us  out; 
Tha  brauden  vues  and  muv  meny  a  dout ; 
But  figurs  tel  us  hou  biznes  stands, 
The  values  needed  tu  meet  demands. 
Tha  mark  the  diffrence  in  length  and  hite, 
And  size  up  matter  that 's  not  in  site. 
Exact  themselvs,  tha  make  us  presize; 


Salutatory.  97 

Tha  hold  tu  truth  and  dispel  surmize. 

Hou  little  lurning  we  wud  hav  dun, 
Hou  fu  the  struggles  we  wud  hav  wun, 
Had  not  our  techers,  with  purpos  nervd, 
Shon  much  mor  patiens  than  we  deservd. 
Tha  helpt  us  over  the  hardest  parts, 
Inspird  our  minds  and  made  bold  our  harts. 
Tha  sumtimes  punisht  huen  we  playd  freak, 
Huen  lessons  lagd  becauz  wud  or  creek 
Was  mor  atractiv  than  book  or  slate : 
Then  lame  excuses  made  wurse  our  fate. 

We  playd  sum  trix  on  the  techers,  tho; 
The  childish  jenius  wil  eb  and  flo; 
Must  take  sum  fredom  in  huich  to  gro. 

We  leav  tu  children  just  starting  out 
A  corse  much  wider,  a  longer  rout 
Along  huich  jenius  ma  bud  and  sprout. 
But  tru  we  take  it  that  evry  aj, 
Huat'er  its  portion,  huat'er  its  gaj, 
Givs  room  for  acting  on  life's  oan  staj. 
Huen  boox  and  skools  wer  uncommon,  dear, 
Did  Hevn  instruct  thru  the  i,  the  ear, 
And  bild  up  karacter  thru  hope  and  fear? 
The  deeds  in  ajes  illiterate 
Wer  qite  as  grate  and  wil  sintilate 
As  far  as  eny  ov  modern  date, 
Huen  lerning  promises  tu  consumate. 
We'r  satisfyd  with  our  time  and  gait. 


98  Boken. 

'  Elmer  noes  the  wurds  he  uzes ; 
In  the  printing  offis  lurnd  them, 
In  the  offis  with  his  fother. ' 

1  In  his  paper  he  shud  sho  it ; 
Shud  not  make  so  meny  errors. 
Evry  week  sum  glaring  error 
Grates  upon  mi  ear  and  vizion. ' 
Thus  a  wuman,  drest  in  fashon, 
From  the  east,  a  late  arrival. 
I  withhold  her  name,  her  station ; 
Wud  not  let  the  printer  no  them. 

'  Grates  upon  her  vizion  !   listen  ! ' 
Tartly  sed  a  gurl  in  hering. 

Uther  hints  as  pointed,  caustic, 
On  the  essa,  on  its  author, 
Wer  exprest,  as  tartly  anserd, 
But  tha  need  not  be  reported. 

NEXT  was  Jason  Brijpost  Gorman, 
In  his  baring  grand,  majestic. 
If  his  vurses  wer  not  classic, 
If  in  matter  vain,  fantastic, 
Jason's  speech  and  manner  savd  him. 
Not  refering  once  tu  copy, 
In  a  vois  ov  depth  and  tension, 
Jason  spoke  as  one  in  ernest. 


Jason  Brijpost  Gorman.  99 

AMBITION. 
BY   JASON    BRIJPOST    GORMAN. 

Mi  f rends,  for  yu  ar  all  mi  f rends, 
I  crave  attention  huile  I  speak 
Ov  things  to  cum,  ov  mity  deeds 
Huich  I  propoz  to  enact  in  life. 

From  erlyest  yuth  mi  thauts  hav  bin 
With  watyest  matters  all  engrost. 
Huen  as  a  child  I  herd  the  storys 
Ov  grate  and  noble  men  ov  old, 
Hoos  lives  so  grand  wer,  so  sublime, 
That  even  Time  can  not  efface 
The  luster  that  their  names  attaind, 
Imajination,  strong  and  fre, 
Was  fed  and  nurturd  with  the  hope 
That  I  mite  reach  the  hite  ov  fame: 
And  ever  as  I  sau  miself 
At  start  on  my  assending  corse 
I  was  as  hy  as  man  has  climd, 
With  yuth  and  helth  to  help  me  further. 

No  thaut  tu  grand  I  hav  esteemd, 
And  huile  the  yers  wer  muving  on, 
To  uthers  meaning  but  a  span 
Between  their  burth  and  deth  unsung, 
Determind  purpos  took  its  seat 
Huer  uthers  entertain  but  dreams, 
Or  stor  awa  their  sentimental  fancys. 


ioo  Boken. 

As  Cesar  was  born  in  lo  estate 
And  made  his  wa  to  hyest  pouer  — 
As  Moses,  in  yuth  a  loly  slave, 
Led  forth  from  Ejipt  Israel's  seed 
And  made  a  name  that  groz  with  yers — 
As  Filip  ov  Macedon,  not  a  Greek, 
Subdud  the  proudest  ov  the  Greeks 
And  forst  all  Greeks  to  call  him  king — 
As  Mahomet,  por,  degraded,  frendles, 
With  only  faith  in  dreams  and  vizions, 
O'erthru  the  customs  ov  his  race 
And  set  for  it  a  nu  relijun  — 
As  in  recent  times  we  se  a  Gould, 
A  boy  ambitius  tu  exel, 
From  nuthing  gro  to  fabulus  welth, 
By  up  the  railroads  short  and  por 
And  into  lengthning  sistems  merj  them, 
Until  without  a  chanj  ov  car 
We  nou  ma  go  from  se  tu  se — 
As  all  ov  thez,  and  meny  uthers, 
Grate,  o'ertoping  all  their  fellos, 
In  a  chosen  feeld  ov  action 
Gaind  the  hite  in  fame  or  welth, 
So  I  proclaim  my  lofty  purpos: 
To  make  mi  wa  to  very  top 
And  leav  a  name  to  be  rememberd. 

A  fu  ar  gifted  for  sukses. 
Without  this  gift  ambitiofa  fails. 


Ambition.  101 

Without  ambition  gifts  ar  lost. 
The  man  hu  has  no  hyer  thaut 
Than  groing  crops  from  yer  tu  yer, 
To  win  sukses  as  he  has  pland, 
Must  choos  his  soil  and  wurk  it  wel; 
Must  no  huat  produce  it  wil  yeeld 
And  hou  to  market  all  he  gets; 
Must  no  his  stok,  his  implements, 
Each  item  he  must  no  in  valu 
As  it  cums  and  as  it  goz. 
The  hyest  syence  wil  fit  him  wel: 
The  hyest  skool  imparts  no  nollej 
Not  reqird  on  evry  farm. 
Not  one  ov  all  the  gratest  men, 
Thoz  huz  names  in  history  shine, 
Has  noan  the  natural  syences, 
Has  had  instruction  in  the  arts, 
As  meny  a  ploding,  toiling  farmer 
Or  meny  a  man  in  city  shop. 

To  be  a  clerk,  to  carry  mail, 
To  du  the  most  menial  public  servis 
One  must  suffer  a  rijid  test 
And  sho  a  liberal  education. 
The  beds  in  nation  and  in  states, 
The  men  hu  hold  the  hyest  pouer, 
Ar  exemt  from  test  ov  nollej, 
From  the  prober's  testing  qestions. 
Theirs  it  is  tu  no  the  peple, 


IO2  Boken. 

No  their  needs  and  huims  and  temper. 
Those  hu  rule  must  not  be  burdend 
With  the  things  ov  skool  or  collej. 

To  men  ov  jenius  tecnic  helpers, 
Those  hu  fit  themselvs  for  sends, 
Ar  a  part  ov  Fortun's  favor; 
But  the  men  ov  jenius,  talents, 
Those  hu  plan  the  enterprises, 
Must  not  curb  their  minds  with  limits 
Huich  impale  the  tecnic  student. 

But  I  must  tel  ov  mi  intents, 
Huat  I  propoz  to  du  in  life. 

Organization  makes  our  graitnes. 
Huer  once  a  thousand  individuals 
Hauld  bi  teams  the  merchandize 
A  single  railroad  train,  wel  mand, 
Nou  givs  a  better,  qiker  servis. 
One  man  ov  the  ten  duz  all  the  work 
That  once  was  dun  bi  all  the  ten. 
The  nine  men  and  their  teams  ar  nou 
On  shorter  hauls  with  grater  profit. 

Organization  is  the  word, 
The  majic  word  ov  these  grate  days. 
I  '1  organize  the  organizd. 
I  hav  the  insite,  no  the  ways 
Ov  railroad  men  and  sindicates. 
I '1  hav  a  line  around  the  globe; 
I'l  sel  yu  tikets  for  the  rout 


Ambition.  103 

And  chek  yor  bagaj  all  the  wa 
To  eny  place  a  train  ma  reach; 
Nor  shal  ther  be  a  chanj  ov  cars 
From  start  tu  finish  round  the  globe. 

Be  president  or  king?     Not  I! 
Such  rulers  once  did  lead  the  wurld — 
Huen  enterpriz  was  dul  and  slo: 
But  nou  behold  a  wundrus  chanj  ! 
The  men  ov  brains  gide  men  ov  mussle: 
Industrial  kings  nou  rule  the  wurld ! 
No  monark  on  his  thron  can  weeld 
The  pouer  nou  held  bi  Vanderbilt, 
By  Rokefeller,  Gould  or  Hil. 

O,  here,  mi  f rends,  I  bid  gudby 
To  rustic  seens  and  villaj  life. 
Ambition  feeds  my  hungry  sol  1 
I  go  tu  wurk  mi  rapid  wa, 
Tu  gain  control  ov  men,  ov  kings; 
Unite  them  in  mi  enterpriz, 
And  make  mi  name  a  wurld-wide  houswurd ! 

'That's  a  blokker,  Jabrij !     Hold  it!' 
Yeld  a  nimble,  barefoot  urchin 
In  the  dimond's  redy  parlance, 
And  the  harty  laf  huich  foiled 
Qite  effaste  both  speech  and  speaker, 
Left  an  indistinct  impression. 


IO4  Boken, 

JENNY  WILSON  nu  her  essa, 
Cud  resite  it  just  as  ritten, 
Yet  huile  specking,  sloly,  plainly, 
Often  glanst  for  reassurance 
At  the  little  slips  ov  paper, 
Separat  slip  for  evry  stanza, 
So  arranjd  and  kept  in  order 
That  the  one  she  was  resiting 
Was  the  one  she  had  a  glimps  ov. 

Furst  ov  Boken  burth  was  Jenny, 
Furst  ov  Boken  burth  and  raising, 
And  her  essa  markt  an  epoc 
In  the  life  ov  skool  and  villa j. 
Uther  children,  all  the  uthers, 
Had  their  burth  in  distant  sections, 
Came  to  Boken  in  their  childhud, 
Here  reseevd  their  education, 
Had  the  best  the  skool  afforded. 

MAN  AND   WOMAN. 
BY    JENNY   WILSON. 

The  Erth  was  fild  with  myriad  teeming  soles, 
Disperst  from  heated  zone  to  icy  poles, 
And  Sun  and  Moon  wer  making  daly  troles, 
Huen  Yahwe,  in  his  admiration, 
Rested  in  the  world  creation 


Jenny    Wilson.  105 

Resuming,  Yahwe  started  mist  and  rain, 
That  plants  and  trees  mite  gro  thruout  the  main 
And  evry  species  bear  its  frute  or  grain ; 
Yet  in  the  host  ov  all  his  creturs 
Nun  possest  the  god-like  feturs. 

Shal  anjels  cum  and  liv  with  beasts  and  burds, 
Wach  over  flox  and  folio  roming  hurds  ? 
Such  wer  the  thauts  ov  Yahwe,  not  his  wurds. 
But  serafim  perform  no  labors: 
Beasts  and  serafs  ar  not  nabors. 

For  trees  and  gras,  for  fish  and  foul,  for  beast, 
The  grate  Creator  spoke  the  word,  and  ceast: 
At  once  was  universal  life  increast. 
Ov  all  the  species  thus  created 
Nun  to  anjels  wer  related. 

Refresht,  and  in  his  best  ov  mood  and  thaut, 
His  mind  and  hand  uniting,  Jahwe  raut 
A  being  such  as  visiting  anjels  saut. 
Anjelic  in  his  form  and  fassion, 
Adam  had  the  god-like  passion. 

From  beast  man  differs  only  in  degre, 
Asserts  Ecclesiastes,  chapter  thre: 
His  oan  breth  Yahwe  gave  to  such  as  we. 
Tho  Yahwe  made  them  furst  in  sezon, 
Beasts  reseevd  not  god-like  rezon. 


io6  Bokcn. 

All  uther  creturs  partners  found  in  kind; 
For  evry  male  a  female  was  desind, 
And  nun  for  sotial  frendship  pind. 
But  Adam  found  no  female  faces 
With  the  charm  ov  human  graces. 

It  is  not  good  for  man  to  be  alone, 
Sed  Yah  we,  huen  he  found  that  Adam,  prone 
And  hagard,  wilder  than  the  beasts  had  grone. 
Mi  man  is  sad,  dishartend,  lifeless; 
Naut  wil  animate  him,  wifeless. 

To  Adam,  glumy,  dum,  disconsolate, 
The  beasts  and  burds  wer  braut,  in  best  estate 
For  him  to  name,  and  chuse  a  mate. 
But  not  a  soal  to  him  was  plesant; 
Not  a  mate  for  him  was  presant. 

Then  Yahwe  from  the  sleeping  Adam  dru 
A  rib,  and  ov  it  made  a  being  nu, 
Mor  tender  than  the  anjels,  and  as  tru. 
At  last,  sed  Yahwe,  Adam,  only, 
Shal  not  suffer,  sad  and  lonly. 

As  Adam  bi  his  rite  all  creturs  namd, 
For  her  the  name  ov  Woman  he  proclamd : 
From  savaj  wo  Man  had  bi  her  bin  tamd. 
The  Man  calld  her  his  Eva,  Madam; 
Eva  calld  her  husband  Adam. 


Man  and  Woman.  107 

Without  the  Woman  Man  wud  soon  deca, 
And  Man  is  Woman's  hope  and  sta, 
Together,  tha  the  Erth  and  Hevn  ma  swa. 
Then  all  shud  wish  to  keep  the  sexes 
Far  awa  from  all  that  vexes. 

His  fother  and  his  muther  man  shal  leev, 
A  wife  shal  take,  and  unto  her  shal  cleev, 
And  tha  shal  be  one  flesh,  or  both  shal  greev. 
Huer  luv  returnd  is  not  the  gurden 
Marrij  is  a  grevus  burden. 

The  grandest  mansion,  topt  with  glitring  dome, 
Is  as  a  dunjon  in  the  keep  ov  nome 
If  luvers  sanctify  it  not  as  home. 

As  evry  horse  means  not  a  carrij, 
Home  is  not  with  evry  marrij. 

But  all  the  men  and  wimen  do  not  pair: 
Tu  selfish  sum,  and  sum  that  do  not  dair, 
And  sum  there  ar  hu  never  seem  to  cair. 
All  these  shud  hav  a  home  and  shelter: 
All  shud  liv  in  proper  kelter. 

A  round  ov  customs  runs  its  corse  in  time. 
Huat  once  was  vertu  nou  is  held  a  crime, 
And  teachings  hanus  once  ar  nou  sublime. 
In  evry  aij  a  custom  chanjes; 
Evry  peple  rearanjes. 


io8  Bo  ken. 

The  world,  as  ever,  shoz  a  varid  seen: 
We  read  ov  lands  huer  evry  wife  is  qeen, 
Huer  all  is  dun  to  make  her  life  sereen : 

Huer  men  du  washing,  ironing,   mending — 
All  the  work  and  all  the  tending. 

We  chanj  the  seen,  and  find  the  woman  slave, 
Her  best  ov  hope  on  Erth  an  erly  grave, 
Without  a  soal  huich  God  himself  can  save. 
Her  husband  only  ma  retreev  her, 

Save  her  from  the  grave,  or  leev  her. 

Huat  woman  wud  be  idol,  idling  pet, 
With  not  a  duty,  not  a  chore  to  fret  ? 
Not  a  fire  to  make  or  meal  to  get  ? 

From  China,  as  from  Turky,   save  me: 
Let  me  hav  huat  Yahwe  gave  me. 

A  helpmeet  woman  was  to  be  for  man. 

A  helper  must  she  be,  or  be  a  ban 

To  all  his  houshold,  ya,  to  all  his  clan. 

Her  home  and  husband  she  must  cherish 
Or  the  home  from  Erth  must  perish. 

A  danjrus  custom  has  upset  our  land  : 
Industrial  sistems  not  bi  Cristians  pland 
Employ  the  sexes  nou  in  motly  band. 
In  eny  trade,  profession,  calling, 
Women's  presence  is  most  galling. 


Man  and  Woman.  109 

Masheenry  made  production  ezy,  cheep, 
And  fuer  men  cud  so  and  tend  and  reep, 
Til  all  had  time  to  pla  and  think  and  sleep. 
Then  wimen  Home  and  Hevn  deserted, 
Took  men's  work,  and  all  perverted. 

If  Yahwe  ment  that  men  and  wimen  bold 
Shud  work  together  as  in  common  fold, 
Without  regard  to  sex,,  or  yung  or  old, 
Huy  giv  the  woman  diffrent  molding  ? 
Huy  not  Adam  be  self-holding  ? 

The  home  is  woman's  only  hope  on  Erth. 
Without  her  solful  care,  her  wit  and  merth, 
The  best  ov  men  wud  be  ov  little  werth. 
O,  hu  wud  risk  the  homely  bouer 
In  the  craze  for  welth  and  pouer  ? 

The  apostle  sez  that  wors  than  infidel 
Is  he  that  cares  not  for  his  oan,  and  wel; 
But  nou  we  find  his  oan  ar  singing  nel 
To  all  his  hopes  ov  onest  living, 
Weakning  him,  and  nuthing  giving. 

Untu  ourselvs  we  ma  the  burdens  take, 
As  Eve  reseevd  the  apple  from  the  snake, 
Or  ma  resume  our  place  and  set  our  stake 
Within  the  home,  huich  all  tradition 
Shoz  is  woman's  erthly  mition. 


1 10  Boken. 

Sum  admird  the  novel  versing, 
Sum  suspected  novel  matter, 
Novel  for  a  skool  gurl's  essa ; 
But  as  fu  perseevd  the  moral, 
Sau  the  force  in  gurl  or  paper, 
For  the  present  all  wer  merry, 
And  applaus  was  loud  and  harty. 

AMBROSE  MILLER,  deep,  reflectiv, 
Nou  advanst  and  red  his  essa ; 
In  his  usual  manner  red  it, 
As  if  evry  word  was  spoken 
From  a  soal  as  simpathetic 
As  the  Savior's  at  Golgotha. 

THE   ROBINS. 
BY   AMBROSE    MILLER. 

The  robins  wer  eating  mi  cherrys  in  gle, 
Wer  chatting  in  song,  as  tha  did  evry  da: 

I  shot  at  the  flok  and  braut  one  robin  doun, 
And  all  ov  the  uthers  flu  fritend  awa. 

The  song  ov  the  wounded  one  scarsly  was  chekt. 

Tho  furst  it  was  chatter,  from  frite  ov  the  gun, 
It  chanjd  into  words  qite  as  plain  as  I  speak 

And  as  soft  and  as  plesant  as  those  ov  a  nun. 


Ambrose  Miller.  in 

O,  cum,  sed  the  robin;  cum  listen  to  me; 

And  I  was  draun  toard  it,  tho  furst  I  had  run. 
O,  cum  and  pik  up  the  por  burd  yu  hav  hurt 

And  I  wil  forgiv  yu  the  harm  yu  hav  dun. 

Not  noing  huat  I  did,  I  approacht  and  obayd, 
Huen  the  robin,  stil  singing,  flu  into  the  tre. 

Yor  arm,  it  sed  bravly,  I  soon  ma  restor. 

Yu  nou  hav  the  wound  that  yu  gave  unto  me. 

How's  this?  I  bewaild;  yu  sed  furst  yu'd  forgiv, 
And  nou  yu'v  past  over  yor  wound  unto  me. 

I  did,  sed  the  robin;   but  huy  did  yu  shoot? 
O,  huy  did  yu  hurtle  me  out  ov  the  tre? 

Becaus  yu  wer  eating  and  wasting  mi  frute. 

I  shot  yu  for  that,  and  wud  shoot  yu  again. 
If  I  had  to  steal  the  fu  cherrys  I  got, 

For  the  plezur  I  payd  very  derly  in  pain. 

Nou  listen!  for  yu  shal  be  juj  in  our  caus, 
The  robin  resumd,  and  it  sang  very  lo. 

I  came  to  yor  farm  in  the  bluster  ov  March; 
I  'v  dun  as  much  gud  as  a  man  with  a  ho. 

The  worms  I  hav  eaten  wud  'v  wasted  mor  plants 
Than  ever  yu  had  in  yor  richest  round  rood. 

The  bugs  that  I  eat  ar  ov  pestilent  kind. 

To  me  yu'r  in  det  for  the  most  ov  yor  food. 


ii2  Boken. 

Much  muny  yu  pa  for  the  music  in  boox, 
A  teacher  yu  hire  to  instruct  yu  to  sing, 

Yet  yu'l  not  deny  that  the  swetest  ov  notes 
Ar  thoz  ov  the  robin  in  erliest  Spring. 

Not  minding  this  servis,  yu  gruj  in  return 
A  fu  garden  cherrys  tu  sweten  the  tung. 

Mi  consort  yu  kild,  as  yu  thot  tu  kil  me, 
And  alon  I  must  feed  in  mi  sorro  our  yung. 

Subsistence,  een  cumfort,  yor  stok  and  yor  pets 
Reseev  from  yu  lavishly  all  the  yer  thru. 

The  burdy  loox  out  for  himself  or  he  dys, 
Yet  he  is  as  useful  as  eny  tu  yu. 

If  cherrys  ar  holsom  for  man,  as  for  burd, 

Huy  du  yu  not  plant  a  grate  number  ov  treas  ? 

Yu  hav  enuf  ground  huich  is  never  in  use: 
Nou  giv  an  excuse  for  yor  neglijens,  pleas. 

Enuf !  my  good  Robin !  enuf  yu  hav  sed ! 

Tu  selfish  I 'v  bin,  but  in  futur,  I  vou, 
The  robins  ma  cum  and  select  their  oan  share; 

Ma  pik  the  best  cherrys,  ma  chuz  their  oan  bou. 

Wei  sed,  mi  gud  Man!     But  yu  nou  must  advise 
Hou  foar  little  burds  ma  not  fall  to  the  ground; 

Hou  tha  ma  be  safe  til  tha  lurn  hou  tu  fly. 

Til  then  I'l  not  tak,  nor  can  yu  heal  the  wound. 


The  Robins.  1 1 3 

Together  we  went  to  the  robins'  retreat, 
In  close-groing  thiket  ov  briery  hej, 

To  a  family  of  foar  ov  the  derest  ov  burds, 
All  harty  and  plump  and  beginning  to  fiej. 

O !  happy  wer  we  huen  in  bilding  this  nest 
Mi  partner  and  I  toted  hither  these  stix ! 

From  morning  til  nite  in  this  labor  ov  luv 
We  shard  the  one  object,  the  rearing  ov  chix. 

If  that  was  yor  object  in  bilding  this  nest, 

If  happines  only  in  rearing  yu  saut, 
I  '1  se  that  the  plans  ov  yor  mate  and  yorself 

Shal  hav  their  reward,  shal  not  fail  yu  in  aut. 

Then,  bidding  the  fother  burd  huver  the  chix, 
The  nest  with  grait  care  I  releast  from  its  place. 

The  coziest  and  safest  ov  noox  in  mi  hous 
I  gave  to  the  robins  in  luv  and  in  grace. 

A  fortnite  and  mor  I  was  lame  with  the  wound, 
Huich  neether  heald  up  nor  with  fever  inflamd. 

The  fother  burd,  happy,  braut  cherrys  and  food 
Til  the  yung  ones  wer  fetherd,  but  not  at  all  tamd. 

Then  glad  Fother  Robin,  intrusting  to  me 

The  care  ov  the  members  ov  Robin's  grat  band, 

Restord  mi  maimd  arm  to  its  former  estate 
And  follod  his  mate  to  the  brite  spirit  land. 


114  Bo  ken. 

Ful  a  minut  wer  the  peple 
Silent  as  at  funeral  servis ; 
Then  like  jentle  evening  zefurs, 
Lite  at  furst  and  then  not  noizy, 
Came  applaus  from  evry  qarter. 

MARY  JONSON,  jentle  Mary, 
Idol  ov  a  jenerus  f other, 
If  a  Baptist  hav  an  idol, 
Met  an  audiense  in  the  temper 
Tu  reseev  a  serius  essa. 
She  rehurst  the  Pauline  version 
Ov  the  work  ov  soal  in  natur, 
Ov  the  work  ov  gost  or  spirit. 


FOREVER 
BY   MARY  JONSON. 

Huen  happy  burds,  in  f  ethers  brite  and  ga, 
Their  airs  as  lite  as  children's  at  their  pla, 
The  swetest  carols  warble  all  the  da, 
Mi  sol,  entranst,  forgets  it  livs  in  cla. 

Huen  vernal  violets  sent  the  bommy  air, 
Huen  morning  sun  illumins  roses  fair 
And  smiling  natur  bids  me  banish  cair, 
'Tis  then  mi  sol  seems  on  the  hevnly  stair. 


Mary  Jonson.  115 

The  springtime  is  the  sezon  ov  the  soal. 
O,  ma  it  always  lead  to  hyer  goal, 
Renu  our  hopes  as  the  varying  sezons  toal 
The  transient  yers  in  their  never  ceasing  roal. 

The  Winter  frosts  and  snoes  obliterate 
The  tender  plants  and  gras,  as  if  in  hate, 
And  leav  the  Erth  in  blasted,  drery  state, 
Without  a  word  or  sine  ov  better  fate. 

Hou  dark  and  bleak  to  us  ar  da  and  nite 
Huen  the  Sun  retires  to  shour  his  heat  and  lite 
On  Patagonian  plains,  huer  woful  wite, 
As  here,  his  cuming  hails  with  pur  delite. 

O,  huy  can  not  the  qikning  airs  ov  Spring 
Thru  all  the  yer  the  purest  plezurs  bring  ? 
Huy  must  the  Winter,  armd  with  icy  sting, 
Cut  doun  the  plants,  and  leav  no  burds  to  sing? 

In  Hevn,  tha  sa,  no  winters  e'er  ar  seen; 
The  heat  ov  Summer  duz  not  fade  the  green; 
No  dust  e'er  duls  the  buty  or  the  sheen 
Ov  myriad  forms  in  one  untiring  seen. 

Then  evry  Spring  I  liv  at  Heven's  gate, 
Or  is  it  within,  so  indeterminate 
Ar  then  the  bounds  between  that  hi  estate 
And  this  ov  Erth,  huer  I  the  summons  wate  ? 


n6  Boken. 

A  hi  estate  we  call  the  life  in  shade, 
Yet  hi  means  not  abuv,  nor  far  of  glade 
Tu  huich  at  so  calld  deth  we  ar  convade 
To  meet  our  frends  in  gauzy  huite  arrade. 

The  sol,  immortal,  duz  not  even  sleep. 
From  everlasting  it  has  in  its  keep 
A  part  in  Natur's  tides,  or  spring  or  neep, 
And  thru  the  mistic  vail  ma  peer  and  peep. 

A  living  sol  enlivens  evry  seed : 
The  living  sol  in  proper  soil  is  freed 
And  reproduces  such  a  plant  or  weed 
As  it  gru  on:   so  spirit  has  decreed. 

The  sol-enlivend  seed  is  daly  fude 
For  man  and  beast  and  burd,  hu  ar  indude 
With  taste  and  hunger  and  the  habitude 
Ov  eating  seeds  in  manner  seeming  rude. 

Unluky  sol,  in  seed  destroyd  by  beast! 
O,  no.     The  fel  destroyer  was  the  preast 
Hu  as  a  holy  officer  releast 
The  imprisond  sol,  and  it  enjoyd  the  feast. 

Yor  simpathy  indeed  yu  ma  besto 
On  sol  in  rotting  grain,  in  rain  or  sno. 
The  sol  is  then  denyd  a  chance  to  gro, 
Yet  from  its  murky  bed  it  ma  not  go. 


Forever  t^~  117 

The  seed  that's  dropt  in  Fall  or  Winter  wates 
For  jenial  Spring  with  airs  from  Heven's  gates. 
With  the  Sun's  return  the  Winter's  cold  abates, 
The  seed  is  warmd,  the  Spirit  recreates. 

[/.  Cor.  xv.  42-44. 

The  soal  that  gru  intu  the  living  grain, 
Desended  into  erth,  and  rose  again, 
Must  in  the  stauk  thruout  its  life  remain 
And  then  return  to  Hevn,  the  seal's  domain. 

O  wundrus  Spring,  huen  natur  is  renued ! 
Huen  sterner  sezons  ceas  a  time  their  fued ! 
Huen  all  the  ded  in  Winter's  solem  brued 
Return  to  bles  a  world  wel  ni  subdued ! 

Thru  all  the  long  and  wery  Winter  cold, 
Huen  wind  and  sno  in  blizard  form  ar  bold, 
Huen  land  and  water  ar  in  icy  fold — 
Hu  is  Savior  then  to  Rose  and  Marigold  ? 

O  Deth,  thou  art  a  fear,  a  worldly  dout: 
The  humblest  living  thing  ma  face  the  out. 
Thi  withring  breth  cut  off  the  leaf  and  sprout, 
Yet  Muther  Tre  heeds  not  thi  thret  or  scout. 

[77.  Cor.  -v.  6. 

Thou  must,  O  Deth,  in  Hevn  perform  thi  wurk: 
Thou  must  be  bizy,  canst  not  sleep  or  shurk. 
In  Hevn  hast  thou  thi  sinister  smile  and  smurk  ? 
Or  art  thou  there  familiar,  menial  clurk  ? 


1 1 8  Boktn. 

As  soal  with  soal  in  all  the  universe, 
Unseen,  in  ways  anjelic  ma  converse, 
Assure  the  faithful,  fears  and  douts  disperse, 
Huy  du  we  in  the  body  dred  the  herse  ? 

The  little  children  du  not  fear  to  dy: 
Tha  hear  the  soft  anjelic  lullaby : 
Tha  wud  return  er  stronger  human  ty 
Bind  them  to  Erth,  to  life  ov  sin  and  sy. 

In  aj  the  mind  reverts  to  childish  thaut; 
Forgets  all  els  but  that  in  childhud  taut: 
It  sets  the  world  and  all  its  welth  *at  naut; 
Awaits  the  summons  in  a  huisper  caut. 

'Tis  hard  to  dy  in  midst  ov  ernest  life: 
The  luvd  one,  muther,  leavs  her  home  to  strife; 
The  man  ov  peace,  cut  doun  by  robber's  nife, 
Ma  homeles  children  leav,  and  desolat  wife. 

O  Spring!   o  childhud!   tipes  ov  life  etern, 
Recurring  tipes  ov  Hevn's  eternal  vern, 
From  yu  ma  we  the  hyer  wisdom  lern 
And  with  eternal  things  ourselvs  concern. 

Our  clas  hav  past  their  childhud  days  in  pease: 
Ma  all  be  spard  to  life  til  aj  release, 
And  then  in  vernal  sezon  ma  tha  cease 
Their  erthly  pilgrimaj  with  seal's  increase. 


Anna  Mullen.  1 1 9 

'  That  is  Mary ;  not  her  fother, ' 
Sed  Al.  Folsom,  hu  had  hinted 
That  the  techers  and  the  prechers 
Wud  compoz  the  children's  essays, 
Help  the  children  rite  their  papers. 

'By  the  wa,'  sed  Jabez  Williams, 
'  If  the  techers  can  rite  vurses, 
If  tha  hav  the  vursing  jenius, 
If  tha  hav  a  sol  for  muzic, 
Huy  hav  all  bin  silent,  lazy  ? 
Not  a  one  has  yet  bin  herd  from 
In  the  skool  or  in  the  Argon. ' 

'And  the  prechers,  let  me  tel  yu, 
Hav  not  publisht  poems,  vurses. 
Nou  I  giv  yu  mi  opinion, 
Hou  Serenus  Ganon  thinks  it. 
Yuth  imajins;  aj  ma  finish. 
Yuth  is  firy;  aj  is  cautius. 
Students,  techers,  prechers,  uthers, 
All  hav  helpt  in  making  vurses. 
Not  a  one  alon  cud  make  them. ' 

ANNA  MULLEN,  at  assinement, 
For  her  essa  choz  heroic, 
For  description  all  exeling, 
Best  ov  vurs  for  themes  descriptiv. 


1 20  Boken. 

THE   MOUNTAINS. 

BY    ANNA    MULLEN. 

O,  wud  yu  no  hou  grate  the  mountains  ar? 
Then  clime  one:   se  its  ruged,  roky  sides; 
Its  swampy  table  lands  and  steep  up  clifs; 
Its  lofty  trees,  that  seem  almost  to  ly 
Upon  the  ground,  huile  on  their  uther  side 
Is  yauning  space,  as  if  tha  gru  outside 
The  Erth  and  redy  wer  to  fall  awa. 

The  grasses  and  the  erbs,  hou  came  tha  there? 
Hou  can  their  seeds  help  washing  doun  the  hil 
Huen  Summer  rains  and  melting  snoes  desend 
In  torrents,  taking  all  that 's  loos  along  ? 
Yet  on  the  very  top  the  grasses  gro. 
Een  seedless  plants  sustain  their  lofty  hold 
Huer  scarsly  nimble  animals  can  climb. 
And  tho  the  forest  fires  the  trees  consoom, 
Not  long  the  soil,  the  roks  themselvs,  ar  bair; 
For  vejetation  sumhou  spreds  itself 
And  evryhuer  wins  bak  denuded  soil. 
Or  far  or  ner  the  species  find  their  wa 
To  soil  and  climat  huich  their  needs  reqire. 

And  vejetation  cud  not  flurish  there 
If  water  was  not  spred  thruout  the  hil. 
From  top  to  bottom,  side  to  side,  thru  all 
The  parts  ov  evry  mountain,  hi  or  lo, 
There's  water  for  the  trees  and  plants  and  gras, 


The  Mountains.  12 1 

Tho  often  in  the  vally  'tis  not  found. 

Then  study  wel  the  mountain  evry  wa 
And  Natur  wil  repa  yu  for  yor  work. 

Here  on  the  prary  in  its  braud  expans, 
In  places  streching  evry  wa  as  far 
As  one  can  se,  we  get  a  single  vu: 
Huer'er  we  look  we  se  unbroken  ski 
Like  vaulting  walls  at  rest  on  level  ground, 
And  nuthing  brakes  the  plane  horizon  line. 
A  fu  miles  only  we  ma  se,  and  then 
The  cold  cerulean  furmament  cuts  off 
And  hides  from  vu  the  druping  land  beyond. 

The  mountains  chanj  the  seen.    Huer'er  yu  stand 
The  ersthuile  plane  horizon  is  reformd. 
Nou  se  huer  yonder  mountain  rises  hi. 
By  thre  o'clok  'twil  hide  the  shining  Sun, 
And  standing  here  we  enter  untimely  dusk, 
Huile  on  its  summit  yu  ma  se  the  Sun 
Til  ait  o'clok,  and  hav  a  glorius  vu. 

Nou  look  hi  up  on  yonder  mountain  side. 
Yu  se  the  trees,  the  rushing,  roring  stream. 
With  glas  yu  se  distinctly  evry  form, 
Yet  further  far  is  that  enchanting  seen 
Than  one  can  se  on  level  prary  fair, 
Huer  blu  horizon  sets  its  curtan  thik 
And  shuts  from  mortal  vu  reseding  Erth. 

Then  huen  upon  the  mountan  hi  yu  vu 
The  vallys  far  and  wide,  a  distance  grate, 


122  Boken. 

Yu  wunder  hou  yor  ize  cud  be  deseevd, 

Hou  this  grate  mound  cud  look  so  small  and  lo. 

Se  nou  the  city,  huich  befor  was  big. 

Look  close,  or  it  wil  not  be  found  at  all. 

The  vally,  with  its  hamlets  and  its  farms, 

Seems  but  a  pathwa  thru  the  frouning  hils, 

Its  can  amorfos  surface  irond  out. 

Then  clime  a  mountain;   take  yor  time,  and  se 
The  grandur  and  sublimity  ov  Erth. 
Se  huer  the  waters  ov  the  se  once  washt 
The  hyest  roks  not  cuverd  nou  by  ice, 
And  no  that  'tis  the  same  huer  ice  ne'r  melts. 

This  opportunity  not  once  impruvd, 
Yu'l  never  no  the  butys  ov  the  Erth, 
Nor  lern  the  lessons  huich  its  grandurs  teach. 

Clime  hi  the  mountan ;   take  an  erly  start ; 
Provide  a  lunchon  and  a  water  flask. 
Go,  dine  huer  yonder  flecy  cloud  suspends 
And  casts  its  shado  on  the  land  beneath. 

Those  hu  had  not  seen  a  mountain, 
Nu  not  ov  its  silent  grandur, 
Ov  its  au- inspiring  presence, 
Nu  but  ov  the  level  prary, 
Ov  the  rolling,  chanjing  prary, 
Ov  the  hils  that  roads  go  over, 
Sau  not  Anna's  verbal  picturs ; 


Mor  Gesses.  123 

Comprehended  not  the  meaning 
Ov  the  jeolojic  geswork. 
Fu  had  jeolojic  notions, 
Ever  thaut  ov  Erth  as  teacher. 

With  the  uthers  Anna  sufferd, 
For  her  essa  had  not  credit. 
'Anna's  uncle  noes  the  mountains; 
Thru  and  thru  the  Rokys  traveld : 
He  it  was  hu  gave  her  items, 
Gave  her  hints  and  information.' 
'  And  the  teachers  helpt  her  rite  it ; 
Anna  Mullen  did  not  rite  it.' 

If  I  left  her  undefended, 
Sed  no  word  in  Anna's  favor, 
Not  a  reader  but  wud  charj  her 
With  accepting  ritten  verses, 
Reading  lines  her  uncle  gave  her. 
For  no  human  soal  cud  gather, 
From  its  oan  imajination, 
Such  a  pictur  ov  the  mountains 
As  Mis  Anna  red  in  Boken. 

Anna's  home  was  in  the  villaj ; 
There  she  lernd  the  level  prary; 
But  with  fother,  uncle,  bruther, 
She  had  climd  a  meny  mountain, 
Seen  herself  the  things  she  spoke  ov, 


124  Boken. 

Seen  the  butys  and  the  wunders ; 
And  she  ma  herself  hav  ritten 
Evry  line  she  red  in  public. 
This  I  no  (the  printer  shode  me), 
In  her  hand  the  lines  wer  ritten, 
Not  in  uther  hand  the  riting. 
This  is  all  that's  noan  ov  Shakespeare, 
All  that's  noan  ov  Hamlet's  author. 

ANDRU  FOLY,  valedictor, 
Gave  the  last,  the  parting  lesson, 
Told  in  tripping  vurs  the  story 
Ov  the  burds  ov  flite  and  passaj, 
Burds  that  cum  and  go  with  sezons. 

THE  BURDS  — THE  VALEDICTION. 
BY   ANDRU   FOLY. 

Intent  we  hav  bin  in  lerning, 
Yet  much  has  escapt  our  sense: 

No  lesson  is  all  in  present; 
A  part  is  in  futur  tense. 

If  fixt  we  wud  be  in  life  work, 

If  onor  wud  hav  on  crest, 
Our  studys  must  be  continud; 

For  nuthing  alloud  to  rest. 


Andru  Foly.  125 

There 's  danjer  in  narro  vision ; 

There's  safety  in  bredth  ov  vu: 
Let's  open  our  ize  to  Natur; 

Let 's  open  our  soals  anu. 

A  lesson  the  burds  ma  teach  us, 

A  lesson  huich  never  ends: 
A  haf  ov  the  yer  tha'r  with  us; 

A  haf  amung  uther  frends. 

A  fu  ov  the  burds  dont  wander. 

I  speak  ov  the  mor  that  du, 
Ov  those  that  go  south  for  Winter, 

For  Summer  return  to  yu. 

Not  hardy  in  flesh  and  f ether, 

Tu  tender  for  suthern  heet, 
Tu  tender  for  northern  Winter, 

Tha  chanj  to  the  sezons  meet. 

Sum  burds  from  the  cold  go  southward 

As  far  as  Old  Mexico; 
Sum  kinds  from  the  heet  go  northward 

As  far  as  a  man  can  go. 

The  Sno  burds,  yu  no,  like  Winter, 
And  cum  with  the  sno  and  freez, 

Returning  to  northern  ice  lands 
With  faintest  ov  melting  breez. 


126  Boken. 

Sum  kinds  ar  seen  only  in  passaj 
'Tween  northern  and  suthern  clime, 

Yet  each  ov  the  gradient  climats 
Has  meny  in  mating  time. 

The  South  has  perennial  singers; 

One  hears  them  in  Tenesee; 
Huile  Mishigan  waits  for  warblers, 

For  Spring  and  the  Chikadee. 

The  Raven,  a  northern  dueller, 
Has  almost  a  settled  home. 

Its  summers  and  winters  folio 
Huer  furst  it  sees  heven's  dome. 

The  Buzzard,  the  Turky  Vultur, 
Attentiv  tu  all  its  choars, 

Remains  in  the  suthern  climat, 
Huer  hi  in  the  air  it  soars. 

Nou  wil  yu  as  trends  be  patient 
Huen  next  I  bespeak  a  wurd 

For  one  ov  the  best  noan  species, 
A  useful,  annoying  burd  ? 

A  Raven  'tis  not,  nor  Buzzard, 
Both  favoring  partly,  tho. 

I  '1  tel  yu  his  nam  in  English — 
Thre  leters  wil  spel  it — Cro. 


The  Burds.  127 

One  sezon  we  call  him  robber, 
We  charj  him  with  eating  corn. 

We  no  that  he  pulls  the  plants  up : 
He's  bizzy  from  erly  morn. 

Our  gun  we  get  out,  and  load  it; 

We  la  for  the  cunning  theef. 
Our  wiked  intents  divining, 

His  nollej  insures  us  greef. 

For  ours  the  attemt  to  shoot  him 
Leads  over  the  feelds  we'v  ploud, 

Leads  into  the  suamps  and  medos ; 
The  huile  he  is  laffing  loud. 

Huile  we  ar  thus  tramping,  plotting, 

Determind  to  shoot  him  ded, 
He's  duing  his  work,  and  cauing, 

Behind  us,  aside,  ahed. 

Our  patiens  at  last  exausted, 
The  chase  we  giv  up,  and  turn. 

Our  gun  we  surrender,  loded, 
Our  manner  as  sad  as  sturn. 

Behold  hou  intense  his  frendship, 

Hou  close  is  this  burd  to  us : 
Almost  at  our  heels  he's  piking, 

And  cauing  and  making  fus. 


128  Boken. 

The  Cro  has  bin  studid,  laft  at, 
His  trix  hav  bin  lernd  and  bookt: 

His  mischef  is  not  malitius ; 
The  evil  he  duz  is  brookt. 

He  noes  by  the  yello  culler 

A  worm  is  at  work  belo. 
That  worm  is  his  favorit  morsel  : 

The  plant  is  tu  weak  to  gro. 

Destroying  the  worms  that  pester, 
That  feast  on  the  roots  ov  grain, 

Tho  sum  ov  the  stauks  mite  wether, 
His  work  is  not  all  in  vain. 

The  bad  that  he  duz  forgiven, 
The  gud  that  he  duz  in  mind, 

The  world  as  to  Cro  is  chanjing, 
If  not  altogether  kind. 

The  Robin,  the  Thrush,  the  Cat  burd, 
The  Wudpeker,  Suallo,  Ren, 

The  Bobolink,  Thrasher,  Marten, 
I  find  on  mi  list,  and  then 

Cum  Oriol,  Blu  Ja,  Blu  burd, 
Sum  Blak  burds,  a  Peewe  tu, 

The  Sparros,  the  Yello  Fliker, 
And  all  ov  them  tryd  and  tru. 


Valediction.  129 

To  tel  yu  ov  evry  species, 

Hou  varyd  is  evry  wun, 
I  'd  hav  tu  demand  induljens 

And  keep  yu  til  set  ov  Sun. 

The  Larks  ar  alon  so  numerus, 

So  varyd  in  note  and  la, 
So  diffrent  in  size  and  culler, 

Mi  time  wil  forbid  essa. 

As  if  for  the  sake  ov  riming 

With  holiest  ov  thaut,  ov  luv, 
A  timid  and  pretty  Pijon 

Is  noan  as  the  Turtle  Duv. 

From  Canada  tu  the  Southland 

Thez  burds  in  the  Springtime  nest. 

In  Autum  tha  meet  in  numbers 
And  fly  tu  the  South  for  rest. 

Huen  War  was  the  god  ov  passion, 
The  Peace  god  the  huile  depozd, 

Huen  armys  wer  marching,  fiting, 
And  roads  at  the  lines  wer  clozd, 

Huen  South  against  North  was  batling 
And  guvernments  felt  the  bloes, 

The  burds  made  their  trips  in  sezon, 
No  armys  tu  them  wer  foes. 


1 30  Boktn. 

A  burd  can  not  hord  from  uthers 
The  food  that  their  stumacs  crave : 

A  burd  can  not  corner  markets, 
Nor  make  a  burd  druj  or  slave. 

Each  da  evry  burd  must  hustle 
And  find  for  itself  its  food. 

The  muther  in  springtime  huvers, 
The  f other  burd  gards  the  brood. 

I  hope  we  shal  all  continu 

To  study,  and  harder  stil; 
That  each  ma  be  brite  and  clever, 

Not  one  ov  us  turn  out  nil: 

As  wise  as  a  Cro,  in  danjer; 

Attentiv  as  he,  at  wurk: 
As  mild  as  a  Duv,  huen  civil ; 

A  Thrasher  in  war,  no  shurk. 

Huen  he  reacht  the  Cro,  the  sinner, 
All  gave  wa  to  smiles  and  lafter. 
Evry  one  had  had  the  tussle 
And  enjoyd  the  victim's  pictur. 


X. 


AFTER   SKOOL— THE   VIZION. 

No  EVENT  in  life  is  graver 
Than  the  close  ov  skool  and  study. 

Not  ov  those  hu  hav  no  skooling, 
Those  hoom  Fortun  leavs  unleterd, 
Am  I  treating  nou  in  trokees. 
Here  I  mean  enduring  students, 
Those  hu  enter  skools  ov  lurning, 
Go  to  skool  from  erly  childhud, 
Go  to  skool  thru  all  their  childhud, 
Go  to  skool  thru  boy  hud,  gurlhud, 
Leav  the  skool  in  adolessens, 
Leav  the  skool  as  men  and  wimen. 

Huether  then  tha  ceas  their  studys 
Or  pursu  the  hyest  corses, 
Go  thru  long  and  tedius  corses, 
Far  beyond  their  adolessens, 
Huile  tha'r  in  the  skool  and  lurning, 
Giving  all  their  thaut  to  study, 
Storing  mind  with  rules  and  nollej, 


132  Bo  ken. 

Working  hypothetic  problems, 
Lurning  springs  ov  human  action, 
Ever  chanjing  causes,  actions 
In  the  line  ov  human  progres— 
Huile  tha'r  in  the  skool  with  teachers, 
In  the  varius  classes  striving, 
Little  part  or  intrest  hav  tha 
In  the  drama  plaing  round  them. 

Suddenly  the  spel  is  broken. 
Homward  goes  the  life -long  student, 
Puts  awa  the  boox  and  papers, 
Puts  awa  the  thauts  ov  study, 
Study  in  a  clas  with  teacher, 
In  a  clas  with  uther  students. 

Fre !    Yes ;  fre  from  tasks  and  lessons, 
Fre  from  hypothetic  problems. 
But,  in  sted,  and  here's  the  reflex, 
The  refrain  to  thauts  ov  fredom, 
'Huat  shal  I  du  nou  ?  to-morro?' 

BEST  ov  frends  wer  Jenny  Wilson 
And  the  preacher's  dauter,  Mary. 
In  their  skool  life  tha  wer  clasmates; 
All  their  studys  went  together: 
All  the  help  that  ether  needed, 
Help  that  one  cud  giv  the  uther, 


Mary  and  Jenny.  133 

Was  bestode  in  grace  and  frendship. 
In  the  Sunday  skool  tha  also 
Sat  together  in  the  classes, 
Lurnd  in  concert  all  the  lessons, 
Joind  their  voices  in  the  singing, 
One  soprano,  the  uther  alto. 

Nabors  wer  tha  in  the  villaj, 
Nerest  nabor  each  to  uther. 
Sisters,  bruthers  had  Mis  Mary; 
Only  child  was  nou  Mis  Jenny, 
Only  one  since  erly  gurlhud, 
Huen  an  elder  sister  parted 
For  the  home  that  all  must  go  to. 

Often  Mary  slept  with  Jenny 
In  her  lonly  attic  bed  room. 
With  the  lite  a  lamp  afforded, 
At  a  table  in  the  center  « 
Ov  the  room  with  meny  angles, 
'Tueen  the  dor  and  curtand  windo, 
Sat  the  gurls  for  reading,  study, 
For  their  wurk  and  conversation. 

Here  tha  sat  on  Frida  evening, 
Sat  in  cumfort  huich  the  north  wind 
Braut  from  lands  and  mountains  colder 
Than  the  plains  or  Boken  prary: 
Canvast  here  the  da's  exitements, 


1 34  Bokcn. 

Hou  each  one  had  spoken,  acted, 
Won  applaus,  incited  lafter: 
Taukt  until  imajination 
Calld  for  rest  or  chanj  ov  subject. 

In  a  reveree  was  Jenny; 
Ize  wer  open,  seing  nuthing; 
Thauts  as  waward  and  inconstant 
As  a  dremy  mind  e'er  sufferd. 
Passiv,  drouzy,  she  was  consius 
Ov  a  thurd,  an  unseen  presence ; 
Yet  she  cud  not  rouz  her  senses, 
Cud  not  brake  the  spel  that  held  her. 

There  huer  darknes  gatherd,  thikend, 
Huer  the  shaded  lite  was  weakest, 
Huer  a  pictur  on  the  wall  was 
Almost  hid  from  vu  in  darknes, 
There  appeard  a  lite,  amorfos, 
Taking  shape  and  groing  briter 
Til  she  sau  the  gloing  outline 
Ov  a  man  ov  foar  and  tuenty. 
Smooth  his  face,  and  smiling,  plesant, 
As  if  listning,   seing,   hering 
Sumthing  interesting,   pleasing. 

Wakeful  nou,  yet  stil  and  silent, 
Tu  her  sense  there  came  a  huisper, 
Huisper  not  by  ear  recorded, 


The  Stil  Small   Vois.  135 

Not  a  huisper  such  as  Mary 
Mite  hav  utterd  there  beside  her, 
But  a  huisper  finer,  clearer 
Than  the  faintest  strain  ov  music 
In  the  cam  and  silent  evening. 

Tho  yuv  seen  mi  face  in  vision, 
Yet  yul  se  me  and  not  no  me 
Til  the  time  for  luv  and  marrij. 
Huen  anuther  yu  ar  plezing 
In  yor  simple,  graceful  manner, 
Huen  yur  thinking  not  ov  luver 
But  hav  meny  sutors  round  yu, 
Sutors  silent,  unreqited, 
Then  yul  se  me,  then  yul  no  me, 
Yu  wil  se  the  feturs,  no  them ; 
And  the  uther,  all  the  uthers 
Yu  wil  leav  for  me,  yor  luver, 
For  yor  chosen  hiver,  husband. 
I  am  working,  hopeful,  wating 
For  that  happy,  thrilling  moment 
Huen  mi  real  self,  unconsius 
Ov  this  chois  ov  yu  for  luver, 
Ov  this  plite  tu  yu  as  partner, 
In  a  moment  wil  confurm  it: 
Each  wil  recognize  the  uther. 
Happy  then  we' I  be,  and  mated. 


136  Boken. 

Vanisht  then  the  hansum  feturs, 
Form  and  feturs,  all  the  vizion, 
And  the  place  it  had  illumind 
Was  restord  tu  normal  darknes. 

'  Mary !   Mary !  did  yu  se  him  ? 
Did  yu  hear  the  vois,  the  huisper?' 

'  Se  him  ?     No.      I  'v  seen  no  person  ; 
Hurd  no  sound  or  words  or  huisper. 
I  alloud  mi  mind  to  wander ; 
Not  a  definit  thaut  was  in  it. 
Not  a  recollection  hav  I 
Ov  a  thaut  huile  we  wer  silent. 
Huat  hav  yu  seen?     Wer  yu  dreaming?' 

'  O !    I  sau  in  darknes  outlind, 
Tru  to  life,  a  living  pictur. 
Not  asleep,  nor  partly  dreaming, 
Wide  awake  I  was  and  sau  it; 
With  my  wakeful  ize  I  sau  it 
On  the  wall  there,  huer  the  lamp  lite 
Is  the  weakest,  is  the  faintest, 
Huer  the  lamp  shade  makes  it  darkest. 
Furst  there  seemd  a  vapor  gathring: 
That  I  thaut  was  but  a  fancy, 
And  was  going  to  turn  and  tel  yu 
That  mi  ize  wer  seing  nuthings. 
Just  a  moment  hesitating, 


Confiding  Secrets.  137 

At  the  chanjing  vapor  gazing, 

I  beheld  the  rapid  make  up 

Ov  a  manly  form  in  outline. 

Tho  'twas  brite  it  scarsly  glimmerd, 

Lent  no  lite  to  valing  darknes, 

Did  not  lite  the  wall  or  celing. 

Never  man  so  winsum,   hansum, 

Never  one  more  cherful,  plezant. 

I  shal  se  the  face  forever ; 

Se  the  smile,  the  frank  expression, 

Huile  mi  soal  endures  this  body. 

Once  befor  I  sau  the  feturs ; 

As  IV  seen  them  nou  I  sau  them.' 

'Tho  we'v  bin  companions,  Jenny, 
Tho  we'v  bin  as  closest  sisters, 
And  I'v  thaut  yu  told  me  always 
All  yor  fortun,  gud  and  evil, 
Evry  thing  unusual,"  striking, 
Keeping  naut  from  me,  yor  sister, 
Yet  no  word  yu'v  sed  ov  vision, 
Not  a  word  ov  picturd  darkness. 
Sumthing  held  yu,  sum  gud  rezon, 
That  from  me  yu  kept  a  secret.' 

'We  wer  little  plamates,  skoolmates, 
Forming  then  the  grounded  frendship 
Huich  has  made  us  close  as  sisters. 


138  Bo  ken. 

At  a  children's  evening  party, 
Yu  the  giding  one,  the  hostess, 
Charcoal  majic  told  our  fortuns, 
Told  ov  single  life  and  marrij ; 
Gave  tu  those  hu  wud  be  marrid 
Kind  ov  hair,  its  textur,  culler, 
Just  the  hair  ov  wife  or  husband. 
Yu  remember  nou  the  evening?' 

'Also  I  remember,   Jenny, 
Yu  no  husband  found,  no  luver, 
And  alon  and  pouting  left  us. 
We  wer  little  then,  and  thautless. 
Yu  forgave  us  if  we,  laffing, 
Peekt  yu  with  old  maid  and  uther 
Epithets  without  a  meaning 
Tu  our  minds  then  lite  and  tender.' 

'Home  I  came  in  childish  dudjon, 
Out  ov  sorts  and  almost  crying. 
In  the  yard,  beneath  mi  windo, 
Stood  this  form,  this  aparition, 
Yunger  then,  as  I  was  yunger, 
But  so  like  in  shape  and  fetur 
That  the  second  seemd  familiar. 
It  was  cumly,  plesant,  grateful 
Tu  mi  wounded  childish  feelings, 
And,  as  nou,  it  braut  me  promis. 


The  Promts.  139 

Only  muther  hurd  my  story, 
Her  alon  I  told  ov  vizion, 
Ov  the  vois  and  ov  the  promis. 
I  remember  wel  her  caution: 
Keep  yor  secret  til  yu  se  him, 
Til  yu  se  the  man  and  no  him. 
And  I  shal  not  tel  anuther, 
Not  anuther  but  mi  husband: 
Not  mi  luver,  but  mi  husband.' 

'Then  a  gurl  can  keep  a  secret 
And  I'l  keep  yor  secret  with  yu. 
But  nou  tel  me,  Jenny,  tel  me 
Huat  the  messaj  was,  the  promis, 
Huen  yor  luver  means  to  claim  yu, 
Hou  and  huen  he  means  to  se  yu ; 
For  yu  sa  that  yu'v  not  seen  him.' 

'Yu  shal  hear  the  messaj,   Mary; 
Yu  shal  keep  with  me  mi  secret, 
Shal  mi  witnes  be,  herafter, 
If  the  issu  pruv  the  vizion.' 

Mary  hurd  in  silent  wunder 
All  the  words  that  Jenny  told  her; 
And  the  tu  then  tryd  to  ravel, 
Tryd  to  separate  the  f razes, 
Get  the  sense  ov  words  and  frazes. 
But  the  meaning  ov  the  sentence 


140  Boken. 

'Yu  shal  se  me  and  not  no  me 
Til  the  time  for  luv  and  marrij ' 
Duld  the  confidens  ov  Jenny; 
For  the  feturs  ov  the  vizion 
In  her  memry  wer  as  vivid 
As  if  painted  on  her  ilids. 

'Then  tu  think  that  I  must  se  him, 
Se  his  feturs,  recognize  him 
In  the  midst  ov  entertainment 
Ov  anuther,   and  in  public, 
Or  at  least  huer  men,  admirers, 
Men  hu  wish  to  be  mi  luver, 
Wil  be  present  tu  embarras, 
Tu  perplex,  intimidate  me, 
Scare  me  from  a  recognition, 
From  the  giving  ov  a  signal, 
From  the  slitest  intimation 
That  he  ma  becum  mi  luver.' 

'We  hav  red  in  novels,  Jenny, 
Ov  the  simple,  timid  madens 
Hu  hav  foiled,  faut  for  luvers, 
Bravd  the  wurld  for  chosen  luvers. 
Not  alon  in  novels,  fiction, 
Du  we  find  these  luvers'  storys. 
Here  in  Boken  I  can  find  yu 
Wimen  hu  hav  bin  heroins, 


A  Madens    Conversation.  141 

Hu  for  luv  hav  left  their  kindred ; 
Left  their  frends  and  men  hu  luvd  them 
For  the  luvers  tha  had  chosen. 
Such  a  one  mi  muther  told  me 
She  herself  was,  and  was  thankful 
For  her  curaj,  her  decision. 
Huen  yu  se  and  no  yor  luver, 
Recognize  the  feturs,  living, 
Yu  wil  no  yor  corse,  pursu  it, 
And  secur  a  faithful  husband. 
As  to  vizions  I'm  not  certain. 
Thru  them  came  the  tru  relijun. 
Meny  peple  sa  tha'v  seen  them. 
Uthers,  like  yorself,  ma  se  them, 
But  ar  pron  tu  think  in  silence. 
Fother  sed,  yu  no,  last  Sunda, 
In  his  sermon  on  Redemtion, 
That  the  anjels  sumtimes  help  us, 
Sumhou  giv  us  information, 
Ov  impending  evils  warn  us ; 
Giv  us  tasks,  make  us  their  helpers: 
That  the  good,  the  pur,  the  noble 
Tu  themselvs  atract  the  anjels ; 
That  the  wikid,  wilful  sinners 
Drau  their  kind,  the  wikid  devils.' 
'If  I  hav  a  husband,   Mary, 


142  Boken. 

Een  the  man  I'v  seen  in  vizion, 
He  must  hav  mi  {other's  favor ; 
I  shal  wait  on  muther's  jujment ; 
Both  shal  giv  consent  most  frely. 
Rather  wud  I  liv  a  maden, 
Liv  a  single  life  in  sorro, 
Than  to  hav  mi  chois  ov  husband, 
Choos  a  man  against  their  jujment, 
Choos  a  man  without  consent  ov 
Both  mi  fother  and  mi  muther. ' 

'But  the  aparition,  Jenny, 
Or  the  vois  yu  herd  in  huisper, 
Sed  yu'd  leav  anuther — qit  him — 
In  the  midst  ov  entertainment, 
With  admirers  all  around  yu, 
And  betra  yorself  a  captiv 
To  the  luver  in  the  vizion, 
Not  a  total  stranjer,  mabe, 
But  a  man  yu  had  not  thaut  ov 
As  a  luver,  as  a  husband. 
Du  yu  think,   huen  yu  hav  dun  so, 
Hav  invited  his  advances, 
Let  yor  hart  feel  luv's  emotion, 
Yu  can  then  be  cold  and  sober, 
Ask  yor  fother  and  yor  muther, 
Wait  for  their  decision,  anser, 


The  Caus  ov  It  AIL  143 

Er  yu  listen  tu  yor  luver  ? ' 

'Yu  think,  Mary,  luv's  a  tyrant, 
That  in  luv  our  jujment  weakens. 
Must  I  luze  mi  hed,   mi  senses, 
All  control  ov  thaut  and  action  ? 
In  the  skool,  in  studys  bizzy, 
Not  a  thaut  ov  time  herafter, 
Ov  the  time  huen  skool  days,  ending, 
Wud  releas  from  urksom  lessons, 
Not  a  thaut  ov  luv  or  marrij, 
Ov  the  chanj  from  gurl  to  wuman, 
Has  on  mind  or  sense  intruded. 
Nou  trier's  chanj,  the  vues  ar  chanj  ing, 
And  I  haf  suspect  the  vizion 
Was  tu  warn  ov  thretning  danjer, 
From  surprises  warn  and  save  me.' 
'Thaut  in  ernest,  Jenny;   listen: 
Here  yu  ar,  a  luvly  maden, 
In  the  very  aj  ov  blossom, 
Pur  in  thaut,  in  word,  in  action, 
Unsuspitius  ov  decevers, 
Ov  the  men  hu  hav  no  consiens, 
Ov  the  wel  drest,  clean -appareld 
Men  hu  conker  harts  ov  madens, 
Turn  the  hed  and  dul  the  consiens — 
Make  them  victims,  then  desert  them, 


1 44  Boken. 

Leav  them  lonly,  sad,  neglected, 

All  their  life  tu  be  neglected. 

Not  anuther  gurl  in  Boken 

Is  in  danjer  nou  as  yu  ar. 

Not  anuther  gurl  in  Boken 

Is  admird  bi  men  as  yu  ar. 

Not  anuther  gurl  in  Boken 

Has  and  wil  hav  smiles  and  flatry 

Such  as  yu  can  not  escape  from. 

Think  yu  then  anuther  maden, 

Not  so  pretty,  les  atractiv, 

Needs  so  much  the  care  ov  Heven?' 

'From  the  furst  I  luvd  yu,  Mary. 
Mor  than  ever  nou  I  luv  yu, 
Need  yu,  luv  yu  mor  than  ever. 
All  mi  secrets  I  wil  tel  yu: 
Tel  ov  men  hu  make  advances, 
Hou  I  treat  them,  hou  avoid  them. 
That  no  man  ma  call  me  fikel, 
Sa  or  hint  that  I'm  inconstant, 
Not  a  chans  I'l  giv  tu  flatter, 
Pa  me  cort  or  tauk  ov  marraj.' 

'Ther's  a  bargain,  Jenny  derest 
Huat  we  no  we'l  no  tugether; 
We  wil  wach  the  wurld  tugether; 
We  wil  be  confiding  sisters.' 


XI. 

A  SENSATION— THE   W.  C.  T.  U. 

HUEN  the  peple  red  the  paper, 
Red  the  theses  in  the  paper, 
In  the  Boken  Weekly  Argon, 
Red  the  essays  and  considerd 
All  the  nu  and  fresh  ideas 
In  the  children's  world  ov  leters, 
In  their  world  ov  thaut  and  action, 
There  was  tatling,  there  was  jangling, 
There  was  bandying  ov  opinions 
Bi  the  men  and  bi  the  wimen, 
Bi  the  peple  ov  the  villaj. 

Furst  and  harshest  wer  the  censors 
Hu  decryd  Mis  Wilson's  essa ; 
Thaut  her  earless,  flipant,  skeptic 
In  her  vues  on  Bible  subjects. 
Huy  did  Jenny  drop  Jehovah 
For  the  novel  form  ov  Yahwe  ? 
Huy  insist  that  the  Creator 
Made  not  man  with  uther  beings  ? 


1 46  Boken. 

All  wer  made  befor  the  sabath, 
Male  and  female  wer  created 
On  the  da  befor  the  sabath, 
Er  Jehovah  stopt  and  rested. 

But  these  simple  Bible  readers, 
Faithful  tu  the  creeds  as  taut  them 
In  a  former  jeneration, 
Wer  directed  tu  the  seqel, 
Tu  the  further,  fuller  story 
In  the  next,  the  second  chapter. 

After  resting  on  the  sabath 
Yahwe  found  the  Erth  all  stagnant : 
Not  a  plant  or  erb  was  groing, 
Not  a  rain  or  mist  had  fallen, 
Not  a  human  being  was  there 
Tu  prepare  the  ground  and  seed  it. 
Yahwe  then  created  Adam, 
Plaste  him  in  a  luvly  garden, 
Then,  and  not  til  then,  created 
All  the  trees  for  frute  and  timber. 

Next  we  hear  Jehova  saing 
'  Tis  not  good  that  man  be  lonly ; 
I  will  make  a  help  mate  for  him.' 
Then  the  beasts  and  fouls  he  fashond, 
Each  and  all  to  Adam  feching, 
As  he  made  them,  for  inspection. 


Creation.  147 

But  tho  evry  beast  was  useful, 
In  sum  wa,  to  man,  in  natur, 
Yahve  cud  not  find  a  partner, 
Cud  not  find  a  mate  for  Adam. 

Thus  bi  reading  both  the  chapters, 
Reading  all  the  Bible  story, 
All  the  story  ov  creation — 
Not  as  catekisms  giv  it, 
As  the  boox  on  Bible  teachings, 
But  as  found  in  Moses'  ritings, 
In  the  Hebru  sacred  ritings — 
All  the  peple  lurnd  that  Jenny 
Had  bin  careful,  studius,   onest 
In  interpreting  the  scripturs, 
In  relating  huat  she  found  there. 
Tho  tha  mite  not  sa  huat  she  did, 
Tha  aqitted  her  ov  trifling. 

In  the  current  publications, 
In  the  helps  for  Bible  students, 
Yahwe  nou,  and  not  Jehova, 
Lord  or  God,  is  uzd  bi  skolars 
In  their  lurned  dissertations 
On  the  ritings  ov  the  Hebrues, 
On  the  story  ov  creation. 

Jenny  rote  it  as  she  found  it 
In  the  boox  in  use  in  Boken ; 


148  Boken. 

Had  no  thaut  ov  being  smarter 
Than  the  critics  hu  wud  teach  her. 

Meny  thaut  her  tu  censorial, 
Tu  severe  with  wuman  wurkers, 
Far  behind  industrial  progres; 
Thaut  her  notions  ov  the  sexes, 
Ov  their  dutys  and  employments, 
Obsolessent,  out  ov  order, 
Even  in  a  prary  villa j. 

'Huy, '  sed  Mary  Ann  Bohannon, 
'Huat  wud  I  du  if  a  skool  gurl 
Drov  me  from  the  railroad  offis? 
Haf  the  time  mi  fother's  idle, 
Bruther  William  fares  no  better, 
And  their  wajes  huen  tha'r  wurking 
Wud  not  feed  and  clothe  the  family.' 

Here  was  matter  far  mor  waty 
Than  the  story  ov  creation. 
Huether  we  agre  with  Moses — 
With  the  furst  or  second  story 
As  we  find  it  in  his  ritings — 
Or  accept  the  passing  story 
Ov  a  swinging,  chanjing  syence, 
Or,  indeed,  ignore  the  subject 
Ov  the  Erth  and  its  begining, 
We  ma  join  with  freest  consience 


From  Creed  to   Greed.  149 

Eny  church  within  our  borders. 

Those  nou  old  ma  wel  remember 
Huen  the  converts  to  the  churches, 
Tu  the  creeds  and  ways  ov  Cristians, 
Wer  admited  on  confession 
Only  on  a  declaration 
Ov  belief  in   God's  creation, 
In  the  order  ov  creation 
As  'twas  red  bi  theolojans 
In  their  boox  on  Moses'  ritings. 

If  in  those  days  one  had  ritten 
Such  ideas  as  Jenny  Wilson 
Got  from  reading  ov  her  Bible, 
From  a  careful,  thoro  reading 
Ov  the  Bible  red  bi  Cristians, 
All  the  preachers  in  the  churches, 
All  the  members  ov  the  churches, 
All  the  peple  noan  as  Cristians 
Wud  hav  turnd  awa  in  anger; 
Wud  hav  feard  their  oan  damnation 
If  tha  did  not  dam  such  riting. 

Far  mor  sacred  nou  is  munny, 
Is  the  means  ov  erning  munny, 
Than  the  ritings  ov  the  antients, 
Than  the  creeds  ov  Cristian  f others. 

In  a  da  the  villaj  peple 


1 50  Bo  ken. 

Wer  discussing  vital  qestions, 
Wer  at  war  on  sotial  qestions. 

Mis  Bohannon,  sum  contended, 
Shud  hav  helpt  at  home  her  muther, 
And  her  fother  or  her  bruther 
Shud  hav  had  the  place  that  she  had. 
There  wer  men  enuf,  a  plenty, 
As  Mis  Jenny  sed,  for  all  the 
Railroad  servis,  outdors,  indors. 
Often  Mis  Bohannon's  muther 
Had  complaind  ov  work  oppressiv, 
And  her  idle  sun  and  husband 
Had  tu  du  the  work  ov  wimen. 

Those  hu  sided  thus  with  Jenny 
Yet  admitted  that  sum  wimen 
Du  hav  need  ov  work  and  wajes; 
But  yung  wimen  hu  hav  plenty, 
Sum  hoos  parents  ar  not  needy, 
Sum  hu  shud  be  helping  muther, 
Shud  be  turning  horn  work,  houswork, 
Take,  in  sted,  in  shop  and  offis, 
Situations  and  positions 
Huich  yung  men  and  boys  shud  lurn  in, 
Lurn  tu  be  effitient  workers 
In  the  varius  occupations. 

And  the  needy  gurls  and  wimen, 


The  Filosofy  ov  Chanj.  151 

Those  hu  hav  no  home,  no  living, 
Seldom  get  the  good  positions, 
Those  in  huich  the  work  is  plesant 
And  the  wajes  good  and  stedy. 
Good  positions  go  tu  wimen, 
Tu  the  pretty  gurls  and  wimen 
Hu  hav  means  and  dres  in  fashon, 
Hu  hav  f rends,  and  plenty  ov  them, 
Hav  no  need  ov  weekly  wajes. 
Such,  tho  plesant  in  their  persons, 
Plesant  in  their  speech  and  manners, 
Ar  a  nusance,  holding  places 
Huich  shud  bring  tu  husbands,  f  others 
Means  to  keep  their  wives  and  children, 
Or  tu  men  hu  wud  be  marrid 
Such  an  incum  as  is  needed 
Tu  provide  for  groing  houshold. 

PEPLES  chanj,  and  customs  with  them. 
As  the  elements  in  natur 
Sift  and  sort  the  muving  matter, 
Pile  in  one  place  sand  and  gravel, 
In  anuther  cla  and  humus, 
Making  here  a  hill  or  mountain, 
There  a  level  plain  or  vally, 
So  the  elements,  the  forces, 


152  Boken. 

Noan  and  unnoan,  human,  spiritual, 
Sort  the  muving  human  beings 
Into  groops  for  sotial  order, 
Like  with  like,  yet  chanjing  ever. 

Long  befor  the  huite  man's  cuming, 
Long  befor  the  red  Dakotas, 
Or  the  huiter,  fairer  Mandans, 
Had  a  name  on  western  prary, 
There  wer  uther  human  beings, 
Tribes  and  races  nou  forgotten, 
Tribes  that  hunted  deer  and  bison 
(Mabe  mastodons  and  saurians), 
Hunted  duks  and  geese  and  turkys, 
Hunted,  caut  the  game  abounding 
On  the  prarys,  in  the  mountans; 
Caut  the  fish  in  lakes  and  rivers; 
Gatherd  crops  huich  tha  had  planted, 
Gatherd  wild  froots  in  their  sezon. 
Tha  observd  the  laus  and  customs 
Huich  for  ajes  had  bin  forming, 
Huich  for  ajes  had  bin  chanjing. 

From  the  time  huen  furst  a  human 
Came  from  older  land  or  iland, 
Came,  perhaps,  bi  chance,  unwilling, 
Tu  a  land  yet  nu,  unculturd, 
There  hav  bin,  o,  meny  chanjes. 


The  Chanj.  153 

Races  cum,  deca  and  vanish. 
Sumtimes  tu  or  sevral,  mixing, 
Form  a  nu  and  single  peple ; 
Sumtimes  men  alike  in  languaj, 
Driving  out,  exterminating 
All  tha  find  on  lands  tha  cuvet, 
Make  a  strong,  prevaling  nation. 
These  in  turn,  or  their  desendants, 
Looz  the  lands,  their  name  and  records. 

Thus  the  customs  chanj  with  peples, 
Chanj  and  chanj  with  jenerations, 
Yet  the  peple,  ever  hopeful, 
Hail  the  nu,  discard  the  older, 
Thinking  that  the  chanj  is  progres, 
Progres  toard  a  better  system. 

AT  the  time  huen  all  industrys 
Far  outdid  all  former  sezons, 
At  the  time  huen  grate  inventions 
Gave  nu  life  tu  manufacturs, 
And  the  shipping,  transportation, 
The  domestic  and  the  foren, 
Had  increast  beyond  all  records, 
Huen  the  present  old  wer  children, 
Came  the  civil  war,  rebellion, 
And  the  call  for  men  to  battle. 


154  Bo  ken. 

In  this  crisis,  in  the  6o's, 
Gurls  and  wimen  took  the  places, 
Did  the  work  that  men  wer  wont  tu ; 
Lernd  tu  du  the  manual  labor, 
Lurnd  sum  trades  and  sum  professions 
Huich  befor  but  men  had  foiled. 

Huen  the  war  was  faut  and  ended, 
Huen  the  volunteers,  disbanded, 
Home  returnd  to  take  their  places, 
Places  huich  to  them  wer  sacred, 
As  was  told  them  at  enlistment, 
All  the  bizzy  wurld  was  rited, 
Was  adjusted  tu  conditions, 
Tu  reqirements  nu  and  groing, 
And  the  wimen  held  their  places. 

Here  began  the  innovation, 
Here  events  made  chanjes  ezy. 

Speculation,  peculation, 
Enterprise  and  normal  biznes, 
Blending,  mingling,  intermixing, 
Gave  a  sudden  life  and  impulse, 
And  the  wurkers  all  wer  needed. 

Sevnty-thre,  but  ait  yers  later, 
Found  the  wurkers,  men  and  wimen, 
Found  industrys,  enterprises 
In  a  sezon  wel  ni  lifeless. 


Storm  and  Cam.  155 

Stimulation,  speculation — 
Silver,  gold,  the  metals  banisht, 
All  the  biznes  dun  on  paper, 
On  the  printed  paper  promis, 
Economic  ebriation — 
Ending,  left  a  rajing  hedake, 
Left  a  peple  dizzy,  wandring, 
And  a  drery  sezon  foiled. 

Vivid,  lifeless — rushing,  idle — 
Interchanjing  thus  the  sezons, 
Good  and  bad  times  alternating, 
Mor  and  mor  the  wuman  wurkers 
Hav  encroacht  on  men's  employments, 
Enterd  feelds  huich  once  wer  cumpast 
With  industrial,  sotial  barriers, 
Wer  for  men,  and  not  for  wimen. 

In  the  citys,  at  the  centers 
Huer  industrial  corporations 
Need  a  host  ov  stedy  wurkers, 
Wimen  take  a  shar  ov  labor, 
Meny  wimen  wurk  for  wajes. 
In  the  touns  and  in  the  cuntry, 
Huer  not  meny  wurk  together, 
Huer  not  meny  wurk  for  wajes, 
Not  conspicuus  ar  the  chanjes. 
But  the  teachers,  mostly  wimen, 


156  Boken. 

Eaz  the  wa  for  wuman  wurkers, 
Those  hu  wish  tu  wurk  for  wajes, 
Leav  the  home  tu  wurk  for  wajes. 

Not  a  duzen  wuman  wurkers 
Vyd  with  men  in  Boken  villaj. 

Mis  Bohannon,  por,  ambitius, 
Independent,  ernd  her  living, 
Trusting  not  her  f other's  patience, 
Nor  her  bruther's  scanty  incum, 
To  provide  her  food  and  rament 
And  the  cash  for  small  expenses. 

Mis  Rebeka  Bridjes,  spinster, 
Entertaind  the  hungry  peple. 
Morning,  noon  and  nite  her  tables 
Wer  attractiv  in  their  settings, 
And  her  cooking  brot  her  custom. 
Tuice  Mis  Bridjes  had  bin  corted, 
Tuice  'twas  thot  that  she  wud  marry, 
Yet  she  livd  and  wurkt  in  fredom, 
Made  and  paid  her  wa  in  fredom. 
And  if  sumtimes,  wery,  lonly, 
She  was  discontented,  envyd 
Sum  one  hu  had  home  and  husband 
And  was  fre  from  cairs  ov  biznes, 
She  anon  was  hopeful,  cherful, 
Bizzy  with  her  baking,  cooking, 


Wimen  in  Biznes.  157 

Giving  orders  tu  her  helpers, 
Orders  for  supplys  and  fuel, 
Making  incum  overbalance 
All  the  big  and  little  outlays. 

In  the  bank  Mis  Lizzy  Ramond, 
Qiet,  stedy,  keeping  counsel, 
Posted  boox  and  copyd  letters. 
Huat  her  hopes  wer  nun  in  Boken 
Had  the  slitest  intimation, 
Or  a  clu  to  gide  in  gessing. 

One  hu  canvast  wurking  wimen — 
Wives  and  widos,  gurls  and  spinsters — 
Wud  begin  with  Lizzy  Ramond 
Or  with  Mary  An  Bohannon — 
One  a  sfinx,  a  during  riddle ; 
One  injenuus,  candid,  artless — 
Tho  the  tu  had  never  spoken, 
Never  past  a  wurd  together. 

IN  the  days  ov  innovations, 
In  the  days  huen  short -haird  wimen 
Spoke  with  long- haird  men  in  meeting, 
Advocating  female  suffraj, 
Stigmatizing  ansient  customs, 
Blotting  out  the  ansient  fenses 
Separating  men  from  wimen — 


158  Boken. 

Huen  in  orthodox  assemblys, 
In  the  hyer  sotial  surcles, 
On  the  staj  and  in  the  churches, 
Mung  the  riters  for  the  papers, 
For  the  magazeens,  ov  novels, 
Men  and  wimen  hu  wer  noted, 
Hu  wer  leaders  ov  the  peple, 
Spoke  and  rote  for  female  suffraj, 
For  the  braking  ov  the  shakels 
Huich  made  wuman  man's  inferior, 
Made  a  wuman  slave  tu  customs, 
Tu  the  customs  old  and  barbarus; 
Spoke  and  rote  for  sexual  fredom, 
For  a  single  human  standard — 

Huen  employers,  flexing,  suerving, 
Furst  a  fu  and  then  a  meny, 
Bot  masheenry,  nu  devices 
Huich  dispenst  with  skild  mekanics, 
With  the  former  hi-waj  wurkmen, 
And  employd  the  wimen,  children, 
Those  hu  wurkt  for  smaller  wajes; 
Made  inferior  products  faster 
Than  domestic  marts,  con  jested 
(Foren  trade  bi  lau  discurajd, 
Trade  and  shipping  all  discurajd), 
Cud  dispose  ov,  sel  at  profit, 


A  Notable  Period.  159 

At  the  prices  koted,  ruling— 

Huen  the  forward  gurls  and  wimen, 
Fird  with  zeal  ov  ruling  passion, 
With  the  momentary  impulse, 
Ful  ov  hope,  ambition,  curaj, 
Took  the  tide  at  ful  and  venturd 
Into  seas  unnoan  tu  wimen ; 
Enterd  feelds  ov  manual  labor, 
Feelds  huer  mental  wurk  and  pressur 
Calld  for  mor  than  female  durance, 
For  continuus  thot  and  action 
Far  beyond  a  wuman's  cumpas — 

Huen  the  chanjes  in  the  methods, 
In  the  ways  ov  thinking,  wurking, 
Brot  masheens  tu  du  the  brain  wurk, 
Broke  industrial  combinations, 
And  the  boys,  not  nou  apprentist, 
Wer  not  taut  the  skild  professions, 
Wer  in  sted,  as  wer  their  elders, 
Put  at  wurk  without  instruction, 
Made  an  organ  in  a  body, 
In  a  body  ov  a  duzen, 
Ov  a  hundred  or  a  thousand ; 
Body  formd  ov  varius  wurkers, 
Each  performing  narro  dutys 
In  the  multifarius  proces, 


160  Boken. 

In  the  corse  from  raw  material 
Tu  the  product  on  the  market— 

Huen  in  good  times  skild  mekanics 
Daly  lost  their  old  employment, 
Wer  supplanted  bi  masheenry 
Huich,  adjusted,  automatic, 
Did  the  wurk  that  men  relyd  on, 
Had  depended  on  for  incum ; 
And  in  bad  times  these  and  uthers, 
Thousands,  skild  and  unskild,  idle, 
Formd  an  army  huich,  if  mobeel, 
With  a  leader  like  Napoleon, 
Mite  hav  marcht  in  glorius  triumf 
From  the  East  and  North  to  Texas, 
From  the  West  and  South  to  Boston - 

In  those  days  ov  innovations, 
From  the  6o's  tu  the  go's,  ' 
With  each  uther  wimen  counseld, 
Forming  sotial  bands  and  unions, 
Forcing  public  aqiesence 
Tu  ideas  huich  had  bin  odius, 
Bin  heretic,  wild,  unsotial. 

In  the  7o's,  huen  industrys 
In  the  throes  ov  panic,  stagnant, 
Left  the  wurking  peple  idle, 
Left  the  biznes  peple  stranded, 


The   W.  C  T.  U.  161 

Zelus  wimen  in  Ohio, 

In  the  border  city,  Cleveland, 

Gave  a  start  to  wimen's  muvments, 

Formd  the  Cristian  Temprance  Union, 

Calld  it  'Woman's,'  made  it  'National,' 

Nurst  it  thru  the  yers  ov  trials. 

Nou  a  haf  a  million  wimen 

Giv  it  standing,  make  it  potent, 

Tho  'tis  stil  a  'woman's'  union, 

Just  one  wuman  in  the  title. 

Bi  profession  Cristian  wimen, 
In  their  meetings  invocations 
Ar  addrest  tu  God  the  Pother, 
To  the  Sun,  the  Holy  Spirit. 
Scripturs  lending  lite  and  favor 
Tu  their  modern  female  notions, 
Here  a  vurse  and  there  a  chapter, 
Ar  tu  them  the  Revelation. 

Uther  scripturs — Mathu  eleven, 
Vurses  six  and  nineteen,  and  the 
Like  narrations — ar  excluded, 
Ar  denyd,  ignord,  forgotten, 
Or,  in  nu  interpretation, 
Ar  transformd  in  sense  and  baring: 
For,  tho  temprance  is  their  slogan, 
Is  their  all-absorbing  hobby, 


1 62  Boken. 

Tha  refuse  the  wine  ov  scriptur, 

Huisky,  ale  and  beer  and  cider, 

Evry  kind  ov  Cristian  bevraj 

That  exhilarates  the  body, 

Ezes  toil  and  litens  sorro; 

Rests  the  mind  huen  rakt  bi  biznes, 

Forces  rest  on  mind  and  body 

Huen  the  rekless  thauts  wud  brake  them ; 

Makes  all  men  a -kin  in  spirit, 

Fires  the  mind  with  hi  ambition, 

Stedys  nerv  and  brain  in  action 

In  the  noblest  undertakings. 

Nuthing  gud  but  trains  an  evil. 
Een  the  wine  that  Jesus  swallod 
(Drank  with  trends  in  public  places, 
Drank  with  publicans  and  'sinners, ' 
In  saloons  like  those  in  Boken, 
Drank  with  men  hu  drank  tu  often) 
Mite  hav  made  ov  Jon  a  drunkard, 
Wud  hav  made  him  worse  or  better, 
Made  him  softer  in  his  manners 
Or  a  weak,  unstedy  teacher. 
So  the  drunkard  in  his  stumbling 
Finds  in  Jesus  no  occasion. 

Temprance,  cheef  ov  sotial  vurtus, 
Is  thruout  the  scripturs  lauded: 


Mark  it.  16.  163 

Temprance  nun  the  mor  in  drinking 
Than  in  eting,  wurking,  plaing, 
All  the  round  ov  daly  habits 
Huich  make  up  our  life  and  living. 
Temprate  eting,  temprate  drinking 
Du  not  mean  persistent  fasting, 
As  in  case  ov  drink  sum  argu, 
As  these  modern  Cristians  argu. 

If  the  scripturs  be  the  standard — 
Sa  Colossians  two  and  sixteenth — 
Hu  wil  juj  anuther's  drinking, 
Or  his  eting,  or  his  fasting  ? 

But  these  wimen  look  much  further. 
In  their  meetings  tha  consider 
Sotial-syentific  qestions, 
Making  and  enforcing  statutes, 
All  proposd  reforms  and  chanjes 
In  the  home  life  ov  the  peple, 
In  industrial -sotial  customs. 

Boken  members,  zelus,  jelus, 
In  their  chosen  wurk  untiring, 
Took  affrunt  at  Jenny's  essa. 
In  the  short  and  cutting  cuplet 

Wimen  Home  and  Hevn  deserted, 
Took  men's  work  and  all  perverted 

Each  one  thaut  herself  the  target. 


1 64  Boken. 

Evry  member  saut  her  nabor; 
Evry  wuman  in  the  villa] 
Had  tu  take  one  side  or  uther, 
Be  with  Jenny  or  oppose  her. 

All  exited,  seeking  venjance 
On  the  gurl  hu  dard  to  cros  them, 
Dard  tu  speek  against  the  hobbys 
Huich  for  yers  had  bin  their  slogan, 
Speek  her  yuthful  mind  in  public, 
Giving  aid  to  godles  reches, 
Tu  the  men  ov  vilest  habits 
(These  the  men  hu  pa  the  taxes, 
On  tobaco,  huisky,  pa  the  taxes 
Huich  the  peple  all  shud  carry), 
Men  hu  drink,  and  wont  deny  it, 
Drink  in  public,  drink  in  private, 
Chu  and  smoke  the  vile  tobaco 
As  if  cheek  by  jole  with  Indians, 
With  the  Red  Men  in  their  wigwoms- 

Thus  tha  met  on  Thursda  evening, 
And  the  church  was  fild  with  wimen. 

Like  a  thretning  cloud  huich  timid 
Peple  think  a  dredful  syclon, 
Such  as  sumtimes  sweeps  the  prary, 
In  its  path  destroys  the  houses, 
Uproots  trees  and  tairs  to  atoms 


A  Syclon  on  the  Prary.  165 

Evry thing  its  fury  tuches— 

Such  to  sum  this  thretning  word  cloud 

Seemd  huen  gathring  fors  and  numbers. 

Loud  and  open  sum  wer,  cairless ; 

Uthers  muff  eld,  stifeld,  cairful, 

As  the  wimen  wer  in  natur. 

Each  intent  on  winning  laurels 

For  herself,  the  caus,  the  mission, 

In  their  meting  thunder,  litening, 

Noys  ov  rushing  words  in  volum 

Seemd  as  imminent  as  auful. 

But  at  times  the  western  prarys 
Hav  the  scair  and  not  the  syclon. 
Blak  and  rumbling  clouds  ma  gather, 
Seeth  and  boil  as  if  tha  ment  to 
Bio,  reduce  the  Erth  to  flinders ; 
Yet,  approching,  tha  ma  scatter, 
Fade,  and  bio  themselvs  to  nuthing, 
That  the  Sun,  in  grander  luster, 
Ma  rejois  a  wating  peple. 

Jonson,  Higginbotham,  Stevens— 
Tu  the  preachers,  one  the  printer— 
These  the  thre  hu  stild  the  rangling, 
Stild  the  strife,  the  grate  exitement 
In  the  ersthuile  qiet  villaj. 

Hou  tha  did  it  I  cant  tel  yu. 


1 66  Boktn. 

Not  bi  chance  on  Thursda  morning 
These  thre  men  wer  seen  tugether; 
And  their  wives,  with  Mistres  Wilson, 
In  the  evening  formd  a  qartet, 
At  the  wimen's  union  meting 
In  their  silence  formd  a  qartet. 
Facing  them,  successiv  speakers, 
Chilld,  represt  in  vois  and  jestur, 
Weakend,  waverd,  stuterd,  finisht, 
Til  the  sisters  broke  in  clusters 
Til  no  order  was,  no  method, 
And  the  meting  broke  in  fragments. 

Thus  was  ended  all  confusion, 
Thus  the  public  clamor  ended. 

Compromise,  a  composition, 
Making  public  statements  even, 
Giving  one  the  chance  ov  uther, 
Giving  one  the  space  ov  uther, 
Just  the  room  in  print  with  uther — 
This  I  think  the  setling  basis. 

This  I  thaut  huen  in  the  Argon 
Not  a  wurd  was  sed  ov  meting, 
Not  a  wurd  ov  all  the  clamor; 
Just  sum  vurses,  huich  their  author, 
Huich  the  leading  suffraj  wimen 
Thaut  wud  heal  their  wounded  feelings 


The  Last   Wurd.  167 

Just  sum  vurses,  as  I  kote  them, 
And,  as  did  the  Argon  printer, 
Set  them  large,  in  leded  pica; 
In  the  editorial  type  I  set  them. 


By  MRS.  ALBERTA  BISHOP.]  [By  reqest  ov  the  W.  C.  T.  U. 

THE   DA  OV   WUMAN. 

O  da  ov  wuman,  cum  apace ! 
O  da  huen  wuman's  servitude 
Shal — like  the  long  Ejiptian  nite 

Huen  Isis  hid  her  face, 
Til  Orus,  sun  and  god  ov  lite, 
Inspird  men's  minds  with  rectitude — 
Giv  wa  tu  fredom,  hope  and  grace. 

The  poets  sang  in  olden  days 

Hou  nations  rose  from  ethnic  madness ; 
Sang  in  rithm  ripling,  jingling, 

As  with  soals  ablays; 
And  the  peple's  voices,  mingling, 
Thankt  their  gods  in  songs  ov  gladnes : 
But  ov  men  tha  sang  their  lays. 


1 68  Boken. 

A  sun  hu  is  wise  makes  glad  the  father, 
So  David's  sun  has  sed  in  Proverbs, 
But  sez  no  wurd  ov  that  sun's  muther 

Is  she  but  a  pother  ? 
A  fulish  sun  is  a  wate  tu  his  mtit/ier, 
So  David's  sun  has  sed  in  Proverbs, 
But  sez  no  wurd  ov  that  sun's  f other. 


A  man  mite  err  in  those  old  times 
Without  a  thot  ov  shoking,  sqandring 
The  respect  ov  innocent  wuman, 

Cast  in  serius  mimes ; 
But  the  man  tu  modest  wuman 
With  a  mind  secure  from  wandring 
Was  severe  as  Arctic  climes. 


And  Paul  wud  silence  even  muthers, 
Keep  them  thru  their  lives  dependent 
Hav  them  lurn  as  in  indentur, 

As  in  yuth  their  bruthers ; 
Always  lurn,  and  never  ventur 
Use  ov  gifts  and  pouers  resplendent, 
Mor  esteemd  than  all  their  uthers. 


The  Last   Wurd. 

In  modern  times  the  bold  Shakespear, 
As  tho  in  spite  ov  gud  Qeen  Bess, 
Forgeting  wife,  and  muther  tu, 

And  uther  wimen  dear, 
Invented  Katharina,  shru, 
And  libeld  Joan  nun  the  less 
Tho  Gauls  with  Angles  joind  in  jear. 


Last  ov  Erth  (we  hope  the  last) 

To  prais  the  old-time  wuman's  weaknes 
Is  a  skool  gurl,  yes,  Mis  Jeny, 

Tho  in  modern  cast : 
Almost  alon,  not  one  ov  meny, 
She  raises  loud  her  vois  in  meaknes — 
But  the  wurld  forgets  the  past. 

Wuman  nou  is  not  a  minion 

Tu  her  husband,  f other,  bruther: 
Not  a  fe  or  dol  is  wuman, 

Thanks  tu  nu  opinion ! 
Welcum  da  ov  man  and  wuman ! 
Da  huen  each  respects  the  uther, 
Huen  to  neether  is  dominion ! 


XII. 

JERRY— WISCONSIN. 

IN  the  Springtime  natur  gladens 
All  the  living  with  her  sweetnes; 
Drives  awa  the  cold  ov  Winter, 
Melts  the  ice  and  snoes  ov  Winter. 
Huer  the  ground  was  frozen,  barren, 
Huer  the  shrubs  and  plants  wer  lifeless, 
Huer  the  trees  wer  leafless,  sapless, 
Sleeping  thru  the  arctic  wether, 
Nou,  behold,  as  if  bi  majic, 
Life  returns  tu  vejetation ! 
Dues  and  shours,  the  cressiv  sunshine, 
Bommy  air  and  jentle  brezes 
Drau  out  life  in  all  its  fazes: 
All  the  species  ar  repeated. 
Nou  the  pessimist  is  silenst. 
Even  he  must  in  this  sezon 
Marvel  at  the  welth  ov  natur, 
Marvel  at  the  natural  chanjes, 
And  forgo  his  melancoly. 


Spring  Poetry.  171 

Human  life  has  all  the  sezons, 
And  a  life  in  all  its  fulnes 
As  a  yer  is  in  its  order. 
Haf  the  winter  cums  in  childhud, 
Huen  the  infant  is  not  consius 
Ov  its  present  or  its  futur; 
Has  no  part  in  parents'  fortun, 
Has  no  thaut  ov  welth  or  onor ; 
Only  food  and  warmth  it  wishes, 
And  it  sleeps  huen  these  ar  granted. 
Sloly,  very  sloly  chanjing, 
Days  ar  lengthend,  sleep  is  shortend 
As  the  eqinox  approches; 
Then  the  lite  ecseeds  the  darknes, 
And  the  wakeful  ours  ar  useful. 

I  wil  tel  yu  nou  ov  Jerry, 
Ov  the  brite  comertial  travler, 
Ov  his  yuth  in  cold  Wisconsin, 
Hou  he  lernd  and  rose  in  biznes, 
Ov  the  favors  huich  advanst  him. 

I  wud  like  to  rite  ov  fairys, 
Tel  yu  hou  his  grate  ancestors, 
Or  his  muther,  or  his  fother, 
Came  from  dryads  or  from  naads, 
Sprang  from  lilys  at  a  fountain, 
Or  an  oak  tre  in  the  forest. 


172  Bo  ken. 

That  I  mite  expand  the  fancy, 
Giv  imajination  fredom, 
Feast  the  mind  in  classic  fassion, 
I  wud  giv  him  occult  pouers 
Such  as  those  possest  bi  an j els, 
Bi  the  sublimated  beings 
Calld  bi  Greeks  obsessing  demons. 
I  wud  dream  as  Arab  dreamer 
Huen  he  weavs  the  wurd  illusions 
Huich  from  aj  to  aj  ar  pleasing; 
Keep  their  freshnes  thru  the  ajes. 
I  wud  hav  him  a  majitian, 
One  hu  noes  all  Natur's  secrets; 
Hou  to  rais  a  storm,  and  qel  it ; 
Speak  a  wurd  and  bring  a  mansion 
Redy  for  a  gorjus  party, 
With  a  splendid  host,  with  music — 
Evrything  that  one  mite  wish  for. 
Such  a  story,  told  in  vurses, 
Or  in  prose  with  names  uncommon, 
Captivates  the  musing  reader, 
Gratifys  a  sens  as  common 
As  the  five  ov  ruling  syence. 

But  alas  for  me,  a  riter 
In  the  aj  ov  skools  ov  lurning, 
In  the  lite  ov  budding  nollej 


The  Infant  Jerry.  173 

Huich  allays  the  mystic  penchant, 
Huich  to  sentiment  and  passion 
Is  as  chilling  as  an  iceberg! 
(There !  the  point  ov  exclamation 
Is  forbid  tu  modern  authors!) 
I  must  hold  to  lau  and  lojic, 
Keep  within  the  fads  ov  syence : 
For  ancestors  tauk  ov  munkys, 
Ov  gorillas,  apes  and  munkys! 
Link  mi  oan  with  their  ancestors. 

As  an  infant  Jerry  huimperd 
Just  as  uther  babys  huimper. 
Huen  the  colic  gript  his  colon, 
Huen  the  food  disturbd  his  stumac, 
Huen  he  sufferd  thirst  or  hunger, 
Cold  or  heat,  in  fretful  temper 
Jerry  tund  his  vois  tu  music, 
Practist  throat  and  lungs  in  music: 
Thus  made  strong  his  intonation, 
Made  a  vois  both  deep  and  mello. 

In  his  plays  with  uther  children, 
With  his  sisters  and  his  bruther, 
Jerry  held  his  temper  even ; 
Seldom  lost  control  in  anger 
Or  in  pouting  saut  retirement. 

Once  a  bigger  boy,  a  smart  one, 


1 74  Boken. 

One  hu  made  himself  obnoxius, 
Thaut  himself  the  only  brave  one, 
Offerd  insult,  scould  at  Jerry, 
Made  his  usual  threts  and  boastings. 

Jerry,  smiling,  held  his  temper ; 
Did  not  flinch,  nor  did  he  scamper 
As  sum  biger  boys  wer  wont  to 
Huen  the  bully  fround  and  thretend. 
'  If  yu  want  to  fite, '  sed  Jerry, 
'Sho  it.     I  wont  ask  for  qarter. ' 

Not  an  instant  hesitating, 
All  intent  on  keeping  prestij, 
Slaping,  kiking,  pinching,  tezing, 
Jak  approacht  with  arm  uplifted, 
With  his  fingers  clincht  and  redy, 
With  his  mussuls  taut  for  action, 
All  his  strength,  his  nervs,  his  body 
At  command  for  instant  action. 
But  his  i — his  i  was  tardy. 

Jerry,  qik  as  summer  litening, 
Dukt  his  hed  and  darted  forward, 
Struk  a  bio  belo  the  waist  line, 
Struk  his  hed  against  the  stumac, 
Carryd  doun  the  tyrant's  body, 
And  was  instantly  upon  it. 

'Nuf!   I'm  huipt;  upon  mi  onor 


The   Tetherd  Post.  175 

I  wil  never  strike  or  sas  yu. ' 
Thus  the  helples  tyrant  yeelded 
With  the  little  breth  remaining. 

Wei  he  kept  his  hurrid  promis : 
And  the  uther  boys,  hu  feard  him, 
Those  hoom  Jak  was  wont  tu  pester, 
Found  him  harmles,  qiet,  jentle. 

O  FOR  leav  tu  banish  fizics, 
Snap  the  unseen  tethers  holding 
Human  kind  in  site  and  nollej 
From  the  things  that  ar  supernal : 
Leav  to  loose  my  tense  vagarys, 
Use  the  poet's  creativ  license 
As  the  poets  once  did  use  it ; 
Use  the  imajry,  the  fantoms 
As  my  sutler  vizion  sees  them ! 
I  wud  fain  use  wurds  as  mello, 
Sentiments  as  lite  and  tender 
As  the  hyest,  purest  an j  els 
Ar  suppozd  tu  speak  together. 
Lofty  speech,  poetic  grandur 
Wud  replace  the  mundan  umor. 
But  alas,  the  mundan  spirits, 
Modern  spirits,  syentific, 
Een  the  muse  that  gides  me  daly, 


1 76  Boken. 

Wil  not  let  me  part  from  fizics, 
Wil  not  giv  me  leav  tu  wander 
Into  relms  ov  mistic  buty. 
Mine  it  is  tu  help  the  living, 
Help  the  thinking,  studius  wurkers ; 
Tel  ov  things  in  life,   in  fizics, 
Ov  the  wurk  ov  sleepless  spirit ; 
Sho  hou  sum  things  ma  be  better, 
If  the  living  wil  impruv  them ; 
If  the  living  wil  but  labor, 
Solv  the  problems  huile  tha  labor ; 
Du  the  good  and  not  the  evil; 
In  their  labor  use  their  rezon. 

Jerry  lernd  the  printed  letters, 
Lernd  to  read  the  ezy  primer, 
Lernd  to  read  the  daly  papers, 
And  his  luv  ov  jeneral  reading 
Helpt  him  thru  the  hardest  English. 
Yet  a  boy,  he  led  his  teachers; 
Cud  expatiate  on  the  lessons, 
Ad  to  them  the  nuest  nollej, 
Giv  the  latest  facts  and  notions, 
Giv  the  names  ov  current  authors 
And  their  latest  observations. 

Not  a  city  lad  was  Jerry. 
In  a  villaj  on  the  railroad, 


A  Biznes  Education.  177 

In  a  little  station  villaj 
In  the  Badjer  State,  Wisconsin, 
Huer  the  peple  came  to  traffic, 
Huer  tha  took  the  train  for  travel, 
Huer  tha  came  to  get  their  letters, 
Get  their  papers  and  their  parcels — 
Here  was  Jerry's  home  in  childhud 
And  his  home  in  elder  boyhud. 
Evry  da  the  chanjing  patrons 
Told  sum  nu  and  stranj  adventur ; 
Told  ov  vizits  thru  the  cuntry, 
Told  ov  things  tha  sau  in  travel 
In  their  oan  and  foren  cuntrys. 

Jerry  listend,  wunderd,  qestiond 
Huen  returning  travlers  let  him ; 
Got  the  latest  information, 
Ading  it  to  stor  ov  nollej 
Gaind  from  reading  and  from  listning. 

Yet  a  boy,  his  scope  ov  nollej 
Qite  surprizd  the  railroad  ajent. 
Not  a  man  ov  his  aqaintance, 
Not  a  man  in  his  position 
Nu  so  wel  the  Erth,  its  peples, 
Better  nu  the  railroad  biznes. 

Irish  Jerry  was  by  burthrite, 
Irish  inside,  Irish  outside, 


178  So  ken. 

Irish  in  his  broag  and  maner, 
Yet  he  spoke  the  Jerman  languaj, 
Spoke  it  as  the  Jermans  spoke  it, 
As  he  lurnd  it  in  his  childhud 
From  the  naboring  Jerman  children, 
From  their  boox  and  from  their  papers. 

And  the  Jermans  always  likt  him ; 
Likt  him  for  his  conversation, 
Likt  his  jenial  ways  and  maners, 
Likt  his  redines  with  ansers 
Huen  tha  wanted  information 
Ov  the  land  tha  yet  wer  nu  in. 
Huen  tha  made  a  hunting  party, 
Huen  tha  went  for  boating,  fishing, 
For  a  plesant  drive  in  Summer, 
For  a  sla  ride  in  the  Winter, 
Had  a  picnic  in  the  sezon 
Huen  the  peple  tire  ov  biznes — 
Evryhuer  the  boy  was  welcom ; 
Not  a  Jerman  boy  was  favord 
As  was  Jerry  by  the  Jermans. 


XIII. 

THE  SEZONS— JERRY  IN   CHICAGO. 

OAKS  like  best  their  furst  location : 
Huer  the  acorn,  swelling,  bursting, 
Sends  its  rootlets  dounward,  outward; 
Sends  its  tap  root  deep  and  deeper; 
Sends  a  shoot  up  toard  the  heven, 
Just  a  shoot,  with  tiny  leaflets, 
And  becums  a  living  being. 
Furst  a  tender  plant,  and  branchles ; 
Then  a  hardy  stauk,  with  branchlets; 
Last  a  trunk,  with  meny  branches. 

In  the  vally,  in  the  forest, 
On  the  hil  side,  on  the  mountain, 
Huer  the  groth  from  seed  tu  trehud 
Is  not  interferd  with,  broken, 
Huer  the  climat,  soil  and  moistur 
Ar  adapted  tu  its  natur, 
There  ar  found  the  tru  proportions, 
There  the  finest  ov  the  species. 

Uther  trees,  their  natur  diffrent, 


1 80  Boken. 

Like  a  chanj  tu  nu  location ; 
Seem  tu  like  the  cair,  attention, 
No  huen  man  bestoz  attention, 
And  repa  him  for  his  truble ; 
Liv  tu  gratify  and  pleas  him. 

In  the  citys,  on  the  hiways, 
In  the  parks  and  public  places 
Yu  ma  se  the  stately  elm, 
Se  the  boxwud,  burch  and  poplar, 
Se  them  in  the  grandest  trehud 
Huer  no  tre  ma  hav  begining, 
Huer  the  seeds  ma  not  be  frootful; 
Huer  the  shoots  the  best  protected 
Can  not  stand  the  shok  ov  travel, 
Can  not  liv  huer  wanton  bipeds 
Trample  shrubs  and  plunder  bushes. 

Not  unlike  the  trees  ar  peple, 
Ar  the  children  and  their  elders. 

In  a  sparsly  settled  district, 
On  a  farm  or  in  a  villaj, 
Babys  se  not  meny  faces, 
Lurn  the  faces,  no  the  peple, 
Lurn  from  them  without  distraction, 
Bild  retentiv  mental  tissu. 
Thru  their  childhud,  qiet,  patient, 
Cums  tu  them  a  stedy  habit, 


Spirit  and  Matter.  181 

Cum  the  habits  huich  wil  last  them. 
Natur  in  her  varius  chanjes 
Teaches  them  without  exitement. 

In  the  Spring  tha  se  the  planting, 
Se  the  ground  prepard  for  seeding, 
Se  the  jerms,  the  seeds,  implanted 
In  their  mello  erthy  bedding. 
If  their  elders  did  not  tel  them, 
If  themselvs  sau  not  the  rezon, 
Nu  not  huy  the  corn  was  planted, 
Huat  a  fulish,  silly  action 
Tha  wud  think  this  work  ov  planting! 
Then  tha  se  the  soil  uplifted, 
Se  it  bulj  abuv  the  level, 
Se  it  parted  bi  the  vangard, 
Bi  the  soft  and  tender  leafaj 
Ov  a  pulpy,  watery  body. 
From  the  erlyest  Spring  til  Summer 
Bizzy,  lurning,  helping  children 
Hav  an  interest  in  the  labors 
Ov  their  parents  and  ov  natur. 

Huen  in  Summer  there  is  lezur, 
Huen  the  crops,  laid  bi,  maturing, 
Look  tu  Heven,  look  for  wether 
Huich  ma  bring  them  tu  fruition — 
Then  it  is,  in  this  vacation, 


1 82  Bo  ken. 

Freed  from  all  the  world's  incitements, 
From  their  boox  and  from  their  techers, 
From  restraint  ov  evry  species, 
Children's  minds  reseev  impressions 
Huich  shal  last  them  thru  their  lifetime. 
Thus  the  lazy  Summer  wether 
Is  tu  them  a  time  refreshing. 

In  their  sezons  cum  the  harvests. 
Nou  the  farmer's  time  is  pretius: 
All  the  produce  ov  his  labor, 
All  the  recompense  for  outla 
Must  be  gatherd,  sorted,  caird  for. 
In  the  harvest  little  children 
Lend  a  hand  and  wurk  in  ernest ; 
Erly  lurn  that  time  has  valu, 
That  an  our  in  certain  sezon 
Counts  as  much  as  five  in  uther. 

As  the  noonda  shadoz  lengthen, 
As  the  sunshine  daly  lessens, 
As  the  warmth  givs  wa  tu  coolnes 
In  the  evening,  in  the  morning, 
As  the  lamplite  in  the  evening 
Peces  out  the  shortning  tuilite 
In  the  sitting  room  and  kitchen, 
Tho  all  vejetation  withers, 
Tho  the  trees  luze  all  their  foliaj, 


Fall  and  Winter.  183 

Tho  the  Erth  declines  in  vigor, 
Seems  to  be  decaing,  dying, 
Leaving  not  a  ra  ov  promis, 
Not  all  life  is  then  decadent. 
Man  and  beast  in  this  drear  sezon 
Hav  increas  in  all  their  pouers. 

Autum  has  its  cairs  and  plezurs. 
Meny  chores  hav  bin  neglected 
In  the  rush  ov  Spring  and  Summer, 
In  the  lazy  summer  wether, 
And  tha  nou  demand  attention, 
Must  be  dun  huile  yet  the  wether 
Duz  not  drive  the  wurkers  indor. 
But  the  chores  ar  not  so  meny, 
Not  so  urjent  or  exacting 
As  tu  leav  no  time  for  plezur. 
With  the  stumac  stronger,  calling 
For  the  food  refuzd  in  Summer, 
With  the  hart  and  mussles  qikend, 
Keeping  time  with  rizing  spirits, 
Chores  and  dutys  can  not  guvern, 
Can  not  rule  the  plezant  Autum. 

Last  ov  all  the  round  ov  sezons 
Cums  the  cold  and  deth-like  Winter. 
O!  the  sno  and  wind,  the  blizards: 
Days  on  days  ov  zero  wether: 


1 84  Boken. 

Lakes  and  rivers  on  their  surface 
Ar  as  smooth  as  potters'  glazing, 
Ar  as  hard  as  masons'  cement ; 
And  the  ground  is  deeply  frozen 
Huer  but  lately  plants  wer  groing. 

O  ye  children,   no  the  uses 
Ov  this  frezing  winter  wether: 
No  its  meaning  tu  the  peple  ; 
No  that  it  makes  peple  better, 
Makes  them  kind,  unselfish,  sotial. 
Nou  yu  roam  not  over  prary, 
Wander  not  on  hills,  in  forest, 
Huither  waward  impuls  leads  yu: 
Ma  not  be  seqesterd,  lonely: 
Ma  not  rest  outdors  in  cumfort 
As  yu  did  in  summer  sezon. 
Bundeld  up  and  wel  protected, 
Yu  ma  exersize  in  skating, 
Duing  chores,  in  running,  wauking; 
But,  outdors,  yu  hav  no  cumfort; 
Can  not  on  the  pla  ground  gather, 
Can  not  sit  and  rest  in  cumfort; 
Can  not  loiter  on  yor  errand. 
Huen  yor  exersize  is  ended 
Yu  must  find  indors  a  refuj 
From  the  cold  hoos  sting  is  dethly. 


Winter  the  Home  Maker.  185 

Muther,  fother,  all  the  children, 
Gatherd  in  the  home  for  cumfort, 
For  protection  from  the  wether, 
Cultivate  a  frendly  feeling, 
Lern  each  uthers'  dispositions, 
Lern  tu  luv  and  trust  each  uther. 

Home  is  Heven's  erthly  stronghold : 
Here  ar  gatherd  up  the  fragments 
Ov  the  wurld's  unfinisht  biznes. 
All  the  members  hav  sum  items : 
Even  lisping  tots  hear  sumthing 
And  repeat  it  tu  their  elders. 
Huat  abrod  wud  not  be  mentiond 
Here  is  taukt  ov,  canvast,  sifted, 
That  the  family,  the  houshold, 
Ma  in  all  things  be  a  unit. 

If  the  parents  act  in  union, 
If  tha  wurk  in  faith  tugether, 
Home  wil  be  tu  them  a  heven: 
Tu  their  children  'twil  be  Heven, 
Huether  Fortun  fense  or  blite  it. 

With  no  Winter  home  wud  perish. 
Spite  ov  luv  ov  men  and  wimen, 
Spite  ov  custom,  lau,  relijun, 
Home  cud  not  withstand  the  Summer, 
Cud  not  stand  an  aj  ov  Summer, 


1 86  Boken. 

Cud  not  sta  disintegration, 
Wud  dissolv  and  be  forgotten. 

NOT  unlike  the  trees  ar  children, 
Ar  the  meny  rural  children. 
As  the  pine  prefers  its  burthplace, 
Duz  not  like  a  chanj  ov  station, 
So  sum  children,  stedy  minded, 
Wud  not  chanj  from  seens  ov  childhud. 
Uther  children — like  the  ellum, 
Like  the  boxwud,  baswud,  poplar— 
Ma  be  muvd  tu  their  advantaj. 

Huen  his  time  in  skool  was  ended, 
Huen  he  mite  hav  enterd  collej, 
Mite  hav  taken  hyer  studys 
That  wud  last  him  intu  manhud, 
Jeremia  left  the  villaj, 
Left  his  nativ  State,  Wisconsin, 
Left  the  seens  ov  childhud,  boyhud 
Left  his  fother's  villaj  grossry, 
Chanjd  his  home  tu  big  Chicago, 
Tu  the  western  biznes  city, 
There  tu  lurn  the  ways  ov  bizness, 
Wurk  his  wa  to  biger  biznes. 

If  tu  pessimists  I  listend 
I  mite  rite  him  here  a  failur, 


Pesimists  and  Optimists.  187 

Thru  a  lifetime  hav  him  struggle, 

Always  baukt  bi  advurs  fortun, 

Hinderd,  chekt  bi  laus  and  customs 

Huich  at  evry  turn  and  corner 

Interfere  with  onest  effort. 

Pesimists  ar  wont  tu  duell  on, 

Wont  tu  magnify  and  publish 

All  the  ils  that  man  ma  suffer. 

Thousands,  thousands  ar  the  yung  men 

Hu  betake  them  tu  the  city, 

Evry  yer  increas  the  number 

Ov  the  yung  men  in  the  city, 

Each  intent  on  making  fortun. 

Hopeful,  confident,  impulsiv, 

Tha  apply  themselvs  tu  biznes. 

But  the  pesimists  wil  tel  yu 

Ov  the  meny,  meny  failurs, 

Ov  the  rekt  and  sadend  beings 

Hu  hav  faild  ov  hi  ambitions. 

If  to  optimists  I  listend, 
If  miself  was  optimistic, 
I  mite  rite  him  nou  sukcesful 
In  his  evry  muv  and  ventur. 
All  the  world  helps  onest  effort, 
Helps  the  men  hu  mind  their  biznes, 
Sa  the  optimists  in  korus. 


1 88  Boken. 

If  one  man  in  all  Shecoggo 
Makes  a  hit  and  wins  a  fortun, 
All  the  optimistic  party 
(Sum  tu  por  tu  by  a  paper) 
Point  to  him  with  pride  and  feeling, 
Tel  the  discontented  foke  that 
Uthers  mite  hav  dun  huat  he  did. 
Muny  urnd  in  biznes,  traffic, 
Wun  in  speculation,  gambling, 
Or  in  handling  corporations 
Huich  hav  nether  soal  nor  consience, 
Is  tu  them  suffitient  witnes 
That  the  winner  playd  in  urnest, 
Is  a  man  ov  parts,  desurving 
Welth  and  onor  and  distinction. 

If  I  listend  tu  reformers ', 
Optimistic,   pesimistic, 
Sotialistic,   anarkistic, 
Sum  as  hedy  as  a  Solon, 
Like  a  saucer  sum,  as  shallo — 
If  I  listend  tu  reformers 
I  wud  here  wind  up  mi  story : 
Stop,  tu  listen  tu  the  jangling; 
Stop,  tu  start  no  mor  forever: 
For  their  storys,  never  ending, 
Make  a  rek  ov  him  hu  listens. 


XIV. 

POLITICS— THE   WORLD'S   FAIR, 

IN  the  days  huen  Jeremia 
Muvd  him  southward  tu  Chicago 
Evry  party,  evry  faction 
Was  in  war  for  spoils  and  pouer. 
Jerry  herd  the  din  ov  Babel, 
Herd  the  arguments,  entretys 
Made  bi  men,  bi  wimen  also, 
For  the  meny  planks  and  platforms. 

'Tis  the  custom  evry  leap  yer 
Tu  select  the  Nation's  ruler; 
Chuse  one  man  from  all  the  peple 
And  inaugurate  him  ruler. 

Men  ar  chosen,  tu,  for  Congres, 
Taken  from  their  home  and  biznes, 
Taken  far  from  their  constituents, 
Taken  tu  the  house  ov  Congres, 
There  tu  meet  the  uther  members, 
Meet  the  peple  hu  hav  projects, 
Meet  reformers,  cranks  and  robbers, 


Boken. 

Meet  all  sorts  ov  skeming  peple 
Hoom  tha  nu  not  in  their  home  land 
In  this  atmosfere,  infected, 
Make  the  laus  for  all  the  peple. 

Intermixt  with  these  elections 
Ar  the  State  and  county,  local, 
And  the  meny  sqobling  partys, 
All  the  big  and  little  factions, 
Hav  their  candidates  for  offis. 

In  the  Spring  the  polititians 
Issu  calls  for  tounship  metings. 
Here  the  peple,  all  the  peple, 
Ma  take  part  on  eqal  footing: 
Here  the  rule  is  democratic — 
Here  huer  nuthing  is  decided. 
Tho  a  thousand  mite  be  present, 
Tho  there  be  a  thousand  voters 
Hu  wil  vote  the  party  tiket, 
Scarce  a  hundred  ma  be  gatherd 
At  the  fundamental  caucus. 
If  a  hundred  be  the  voters, 
Ten  or  tuenty  ma  be  present, 
And  it  ma  be  thre  or  seven. 

At  these  basic  tounship  metings, 
In  the  precincts  in  the  city, 
Men  ar  chosen,  fu  in  number, 


The  Political  Masheens.  191 

For  the  delegate  conventions, 
For  the  loest  working  bodys. 
Here  ar  made  the  nominations, 
Here  the  candidates  ar  chosen 
For  the  offices  and  onors 
In  the  city,  in  the  county, 
Those  the  peple  ov  the  county 
Ma  besto  upon  their  nabors. 

Unassorted  deputations, 
As  the  local  factions  chuse  them, 
From  each  county  fu  or  meny 
As  the  voters  ar  in  number, 
Go  to  form  the  State  convention, 
Choos  the  candidates  for  offis, 
Those  that  all  the  countys  vote  for. 

Thus  is  formd  the  State  convention, 
Thus  is  formd  the  party's  mouthpece, 
Thus  the  badly  jointed  body 
Huich  shal  make  the  party's  platform, 
Huich  shal  promts,  if  elected, 
Huat  the  nominees  wil  stand  for, 
Hou  the  peple  wil  be  treated 
If  their  votes  sustain  the  party. 

One  day's  work  the  polititians 
Hav  in  handling  delegations, 
Handling  all  the  little  bodys, 


192  Boken. 

All  the  individual  members, 
Most  ov  hoom,  like  picnic  children, 
Holy  bent  on  present  plezur, 
Uz  their  senses,  not  their  rezon, 
Thinking  not  ov  past  or  futur. 

Nou  ar  pikt  the  party  bosses, 
Men  hoos  names  alon  ar  plejes 
That  the  factions  wil  be  hurd  from, 
That  the  State  wil  be  respected 
In  the  last,  the  National  meeting. 

Se  the  forces  as  tha  gather ! 
Se  the  stranjers  in  the  city ! 
Se  the  members,  ner  a  thousand, 
From  the  centers,  from  the  corners, 
From  the  States  that  make  the  Union. 

Ernest  men  af  talking,  wurking, 
Vainly  seeking  recognition, 
Huile  the  bosses,  national  bosses, 
Pla  their  games  in  spatius  parlors: 
Set  their  traps  to  each  the  leaders, 
Cach  the  bosses  far  belo  them, 
Win  the  voting  delegations, 
Get  control  ov  all  masheenry, 
Name  the  men  and  make  their  platform ; 
Name  the  members  on  committees, 
Men  hu  handle  funds  and  speakers. 


The  Mas  keen  in  Action.  193 

Ner  a  thousand  ar  the  members, 
In  the  city  stranjers,  wandring, 
Noan  by  hats  or  canes  or  badjes; 
Stranjers,  tu,  tu  big  conventions, 
Tu  the  rapid  work  and  skeming, 
Tu  the  ways  ov  polititians. 

Meny  more  the  willing  helpers, 
Those  hu  cum  to  ad  their  voices, 
Help  to  suell  the  ranks  ov  factions, 
Help  in  making  nominations, 
Help  in  naming  standard  barers, 
In  deleting  men  and  factions 
That  tha  du  not  want  in  offis, 
Tho  tha  all  ar  in  one  party. 

Seldom  is  the  chois  ov  leader 
Made  beforhand,  er  the  factions, 
Er  the  candidates  and  factions, 
Er  the  big  and  little  bosses 
Hav  arranjd  the  compromises, 
Hav  extended  and  acsepted 
Promises  ov  futur  favor, 
Promises  ov  certain  action 
On  the  part  ov  those  sucsesful, 
Those  hu  get  the  lead  and  prestij. 
Strife  and  qarrels,  bitter  qarrels, 
Mark  each  step  in  factius  progres 


194  Boken. 

Toard  agrement  on  the  platform 
And  the  candidates  tu  man  it. 

Tu  grate  partys  face  each  uther, 
Each  with  candidates  and  platform, 
Both  accusing,  both  defending, 
Warning,  thretning,  pleading,  beging, 
In  a  thousand  daly  speches, 
In  the  papers,  daly,  weekly, 
Til  yu'd  think  them  both  degraded, 
Think  them  patriotic,  onest, 
If  yu  listend  tu  their  ajents, 
Tu  the  riters  and  the  spekers, 
If  yu  nu  not  hou  tu  take  them. 

Party  men,  the  slaves  ov  party, 
Always  juj  one  wa  the  spekers: 
If  on  their  side,  all  is  truthful; 
On  anuther,  all  is  devlish. 
Thus  the  man  hu  never  chanjes ; 
Spite  ov  rite  and  fact  and  rezon, 
Spite  ov  evidence  and  lojic, 
Votes  the  party  name  forever. 

ALL  the  partys  in  Chicago, 
All  the  merchants  and  producers, 
Those  engajd  in  transportation, 
Biznes  peple,  wurking  peple, 


Surpassing  Enterprise.  195 

In  one  project  had  united, 

Wer  a  unit  in  the  purpos 

Tu  exel  all  former  efforts, 

Hav  a  grander  exposition 

Than  the  wurld  had  seen  or  red  ov. 

Meny  millions  wer  the  dollars 

(Thurty  millions  from  Chicago) 

Huich  the  undertaking  calld  for, 

And  the  peple  gave  as  meny, 

Frely  gave  the  muny  needed. 

All  the  Yanke  land  assisted. 
Evry  State  made  sum  provision, 
Nerly  all  the  States  had  bildings, 
Separat  bildings  for  their  peple, 
For  their  spetial  State  egzibits, 
And  for  these  tha  paid  expenses, 
Paid  the  cost  ov  bilding,  tending, 
And  for  placing  their  consinements. 

All  the  guvernments  and  peples — 
Those  in  Urop  and  in  Asia, 
Those  in  Africa,  Australia, 
Eskimos,  Alaskans,  Fejes, 
Oldest  peples  and  the  nuest — 
Had  their  bildings  and  egzibits. 

From  the  continents  and  ilands 
Came  the  chosen  ov  the  peple 


1 96  Boken. 

Tu  egzibit  their  productions, 
Sho  their  relics,  arts  and  customs, 
Sho  their  implements,  industrys, 
Huat  advansment  tha  wer  making 
In  the  arts  ov  peace  and  warfare ; 
Came  tu  make  their  oan  egzibits 
And  to  lurn  from  those  ov  uthers. 

No  such  wurk  had  e'er  bin  thaut  ov 
By  the  arkitects  and  bilders,   ' 
By  the  moderns,  by  the  antients. 

Lo  and  suampy  ground  was  chosen, 
Meny  hundred  marshy  akers, 
Sum  impruvd  and  sum  in  natur, 
At  the  lake  side,  ner  the  water. 
Men  bi  thousands  thru  the  durt  up, 
Made  grate  basins  for  the  water, 
Made  hi  ground  for  wauks  and  bildings, 
Graded  all  the  marshy  akers, 
Left  the  ground  all  draind  and  tidy. 

Then  a  host  ov  clever  wurkmen, 
Nativ  wurkmen,  alien  wurkmen, 
Made  the  bildings,  duzens,  hundreds: 
One  the  bigest  yet  erected, 
Uther  big  ones,  grand,  imposing, 
Til  the  wauking  space  was  crouded 

Huen  the  Fair  was  in  its  progres. 

v 


The  Huite  City.  197 

Evry  bilding  was  peculiar, 

For  a  purpos  was  erected, 

In  a  wa  distinct  in  fassion, 

In  its  type  and  in  appointments, 

Yet,  outside,  the  huite  prevaling 

Made  the  name  Huite  City  proper. 

Mammoth  boilers,  mammoth  enjins 
Gave  unprecedented  pouer. 
All  masheens  in  use  for  making 
All  commertial  goods  and  fabrics 
Wer  in  constant  operation. 

Here  the  peple  sau  the  methods, 
Sau  hou  goods  wer  made  for  commerce, 
Sau  the  ways  ov  all  the  nations ; 
Sau  the  best  and  sau  the  crudest, 
Sau  the  qikest  and  the  sloest, 
Sau  the  nuest  and  the  oldest: 
Sau  a  meny  thousand  wunders 
Huich  alon  wer  wurth  a  vizit. 


XV. 

THE  START— SUKSESS. 

Nou  THE  visitors  in  thousands 
Wud  be  cuming  tu  Chicago. 
Evry  train  on  evry  railroad, 
Spetial  trains  on  all  the  railroads 
Evry  our  wud  bring  the  peple, 
Bring  them  from  the  States,  the  Union, 
And  from  all  the  foren  cuntrys. 

Biznes  men  made  preparations, 
Made  provision  for  the  increas, 
For  the  grater  traffic  promist, 
For  the  biznes  thus  assurd  them. 
Evry  bilding  nou  was  wanted, 
Meny  nu  ones  wer  erected — 
Public  houses,  residences, 
Evry  kind  and  size  ov  bilding — 
And  the  merchants  wanted  wurkers, 
Wanted  manajers  and  salesmen, 
Wanted  help  in  all  departments. 

Jerry  hurd  the  call  for  helpers 


The  Frendly    Wurd.  199 

And  forsook  his  nativ  villaj 

For  the  seat  ov  wurk  and  traffic. 

All  his  frends  wer  interested 
In  his  chois  ov  wurk  or  biznes ; 
Canvast  all  the  biznes  houses 
And  the  chances  each  mite  offer 
For  impruvment,   for  advansment. 

Thus  yung  men  at  start  ma  prosper, 
Thus  ma  get  a  start  in  biznes, 
Tho  tha  hav  not  muny,   prestij, 
Hav  not  wel  establisht  credit 
From  an  estate,  from  a  f other, 
From  a  name  wel  noan  tu  bankers. 

Huen  the  calls  wer  made,  reported, 
Huen  the  offers  made  wer  canvast, 
Then  it  was  that  Jerry  venturd ; 
Took  a  place  huer  constant  custom, 
In  a  hous  that  sold  bi  holesale, 
Tryd  the  nervs  ov  stanchest  salesmen. 

In  the  sezon  huen  the  wether 
Makes  the  city  peple  lazy, 
Huen  the  skools,  theaters,  churches 
Take  a  rest,  a  long  vacation, 
Huen  in  normal  times  the  peple 
Wud  hav  slakend  toil  and  biznes, 
In  Chicago  there  was  hustling; 


2oo  Boken. 

Evry  line  ov  biznes  yeelded 
Tu  the  call  for  bilding  matter; 
Evry  clas  ov  wurkmen  labord 
Tu  advanse  the  Exposition, 
Bild  the  homes  for  grate  exibits 
And  provide  for  entertainment 
Ov  the  milyuns  hu  wud  gather. 
Retail  trade  as  wel  as  holesale 
Shode  alredy  huat  it  wud  be 
With  the  Exposition  open ; 
For  the  grate  demand  for  wurkmen 
Brot  a  milyun  tu  the  city; 
From  the  uther  citys  braut  them, 
From  the  foren  citys  braut  them, 
And  tha  must  hav  food  and  clothing, 
Must  hav  drink  and  entertainment, 
Hav  a  chance  tu  spend  their  wajes, 
Biger  nou  than  tha  wer  uzd  tu. 
Jerry's  nerv  and  even  temper 
Pleasd  the  peple,  pleasd  the  patrons, 
Made  a  frend  his  furst  employer, 
Wun  his  fello-wurkmen's  frendship; 
And,  with  sales  incresing  daly, 
With  demand  for  trusty  captains, 
For  department  heds  and  bosses, 
Fast  he  rose  in  trust,  position, 


Mister  Fordham.  201 

Rose  abuv  his  fello-wurkmen. 

Nou  we  cum  tu  transformation, 
Tu  the  chanj  in  Jerry's  outlook, 
Tu  the  our  huen  merry  Fortun 
Cast  on  him  her  sheltering  mantle ; 
Made  him  protejee,   assotiate, 
Are  in  common  with  the  chosen, 
With  the  fu  hu  share  her  favors. 

Huen  the  Autum  had  sukseded 
Such  a  run  ov  constant  orders 
As  had  bin  unnoan  with  merchants 
In  the  bizzy  Fall  and  Winter- 
Then  it  was  the  ajing  merchant 
Chose  from  all  his  meny  wurkers, 
Chose  one  man  from  all  his  helpers 
For  a  confidant,  a  partner, 
A  suksessor  in  the  futur. 

As  the  uther  help,  departing, 
Left  the  hous  at  close  ov  biznes, 
Huen  the  da  was  finisht,  ended, 
And  the  clerks  and  salesmen  scatterd, 
Mister  Fordham,  in  his  offis, 
Tenting  Jerry,  thus  addrest  him : 

'All  departments  yu  hav  wurkt  in, 
Filld  each  place  with  satisfaction, 
Satisfyd  the  hous,  the  patrons, 


202  Boken. 

Shode  an  aptnes  found  but  seldom 

In  a  yuth  at  start  in  biznes. 

Ar  yu  satisfyd,  contented 

With  the  hous  and  with  yor  standing  ? ' 

'Yes,  sur;  with  mi  wurk  and  standing 
I  'm  at  pece  and  qite  contented : 
Pleazd  with  hous  and  wurk  and  progres. ' 

'Then  no  thaut  yu  hav  ov  chanjing, 
Hav  no  thaut  ov  uther  biznes, 
Du  not  look  at  present  biznes 
As  a  step  toard  sum  profession, 
As  a  means  ov  erning  muny 
Tu  prepare  yu  for  a  lauyer, 
For  a  precher  or  a  doctor, 
For  a  lurned,  titled  calling, 
As  with  yuths  is  not  uncommon?' 

'No,  indeed,  sur.     I  hav  always 
Thaut  I'd  like  tu  be  a  merchant. 
With  this  thaut  I  lookt  for  biznes ; 
Did  not  go  tu  skool  or  collej. 
Not  tu  urn  a  wurkman's  wajes, 
But  tu  fit  miself  for  biznes, 
Was  my  object,  my  intention 
Huen  I  left  my  fother's  grosry. ' 

'Yor  confession,  yor  ambition, 
Yor  profession  make  me  ezy. 


A  Poet's  Invocation.  203 

From  the  furst  I  sau  yor  fitnes 
And  advanst  yu  fast  and  often, 
That  yu  mite  not  think  ov  chanjing, 
Mite  not  tire  ov  present  prospects.' 

Nou  I  pra  yu,  all  the  muzes, 
All  the  invisible  wurking  ajents, 
I  invoke  yor  inspiration, 
Ask  yor  aid  huile  I  endevor 
Tu  report  the  conversation, 
Put  the  speches  in  such  rament, 
In  such  forms  ov  wurds  and  f razes, 
Keeping  yet  the  sens  and  matter, 
That  the  wurld  ma  get  instruction 
Tho  it  read  for  pastime  only, 
Tho  it  hav  no  thaut  ov  lurning, 
Hav  no  thaut  but  that  ov  pastime, 
Eaz  from  wurk  unnerving,  tiring, 
From  onwe,  the  bane  ov  lezur. 
Thus  I  pra  yu,  modern  muses, 
In  the  nollej  that  the  spekers 
Du  not  seek  yor  help  or  favor, 
Du  not  cort  yor  inspiration, 
If  indeed  tha  du  not  skorn  it. 
I  wud  ask  for  them  a  favor, 
For  miself,  the  wurld,  a  favor, 


204  Boken. 

Ask  that  I  ma  clothe  their  speches 
In  a  languaj  huich  ma  save  them 
Tu  the  wurld  for  its  instruction : 
Tho  the  subject  is  prosaic, 
Let  me  dres  it  out  in  vurses, 
In  a  dres  for  keeping,  waring: 
For  this  intervu,  this  convers, 
Gave  tu  Jerry  hope  and  curaj, 
Fixt  his  plans  for  all  his  lifewurk, 
Made  him  stedy,  sure,  suksesful ; 
And  tu  uthers  ma  be  useful, 
Tu  the  yung  men  hu  wil  labor, 
Giv  their  time  and  thot  and  labor 
In  a  feeld  huer  wurk  is  plezur, 
Huer  the  hardest  wurk  is  relisht, 
Huer  their  mental  disposition 
Fits  them  for  the  tasks  and  duties. 

1  Yes, '  sed  Mister  Fordham  ;  '  there  ar 
Meny  kinds  ov  trading  peple, 
But  not  all  ov  them  ar  merchants. 
In  Chicago  meny  thousands 
Ar  engajd  in  speculation. 
These  make  gesses,  trade  on  marjins, 
Plot,  conspire  to  wurk  the  markets, 
Try  to  rais  or  loer  prices, 
That  the  chanjes  in  kotations 


Hu  Is  a  Merchant?  205 

Ma,  huile  contracts  ar  maturing, 
Place  them  on  the  side  ov  profit. 
Meny  ov  them  by  no  produce, 
Never  oan  a  pound  or  bushel, 
Du  not  help  in  handling  products, 
Du  not  help  in  making  transfurs, 
In  exchanjing,  muving  produce. 
Uthers  trade  in,  handle  produce, 
But  ar  speculators,  gamblers, 
Bying  only  huen  the  market 
Promises  a  hyer  figur. 
These  by  grain  and  uther  produce 
In  the  sezon  huen  the  cheapest; 
Hoard  their  stox  and  wait  til  prices 
Giv  them  profit  on  investment, 
Or  til  stox  wil  keep  no  longer. 
Such  ar  not  engajd  in  traffic: 
Nun  ov  these  ar  truly  merchants.' 

'So  I'v  thot, '  here  venturd  Jerry. 
'And,  as  I  wud  be  a  merchant, 
Hope  tu  fil  yor  expectation, 
I  wil  ask  yu  yor  opinion, 
Ask  yor  anser  tu  the  qestion 
Hu  ar  justly  clast  as  merchants?' 

'Only  those  hu  by  for  custom, 
By  tu  sel  as  goods  ar  wanted, 


206  Boken. 

Keep  on  hand  and  sel  as  wanted, 
At  the  prices  then  prevaling — 
Only  these  ar  truly  merchants ; 
All  such  traders,  tu,  ar  merchants.' 

'Then,'  sed  Jerry,   'huxters,  venders, 
Men  hu  hauk  the  streets  for  custom, 
Hav  no  mor  than  tha  ma  carry 
In  a  pak  or  in  a  wagon, 
Hav  their  routs  and  wait  on  peple, 
Tho  the  wurld  ma  call  them  pedlars, 
Ma  bi  rite  be  clast  as  merchants.' 

'  Wei  yu  put  it ;  wel  yu  put  it. 
Thurty  yers  ago  I  pedeld. 
At  the  furst  mi  stok  was  mostly 
Confidence,  anticipation. 
Small  mi  cash  was,  credit  smaller, 
And  mi  strength  not  grate  or  lasting. 
Notions  had  I  then  ov  commerse, 
Notions  huich  hav  ever  booid  me, 
Ever  held  me  tu  mi  biznes. 
Huer  I  got  them  I  cant  tel  yu, 
Can  not  tel  hou  tha  possest  me; 
But  I  had  within  a  promter, 
Had  a  counselor,  adviser, 
And  I  heeded  wel  mi  mentor. 
With  a  pak  and  basket  starting, 


The  Merchant's  Story.  207 

Happy  was  I  huen  my  savings 

Bot  a  horse  and  pedlar's  wagon. 

With  a  rout,  a  stedy  custom, 

Seling  all  the  garden  produce, 

Huat  the  houswives  wanted,  calld  for, 

Then  I  thot  miself  a  merchant. 

Huether  I  alon  supplyd  them 

Or  tha  hot  ov  uther  pedlars, 

Or,  as  sum  did,  ov  their  grocer, 

I  was  careful,  truthful,  plesant, 

Never  told  a  ly  for  custom, 

Never  praisd  beyond  its  merit 

Enything  in  pak  or  wagon. 

As  the  students  lurn  their  grammar, 

Lurn  their  mathematics,  Latin, 

So  I  lurnd  mi  lessons  daly, 

Lurnd  the  living  human  natur, 

Lurnd  the  grades  ov  goods  and  produce. ' 

As  the  merchant  pausd  the  tyro 
Frankly  brot  his  oan  case  forward: 
'Thus  far  has  mi  oan  begining 
Bin  mor  fortunat  and  plezant. 
In  mi  fother's  stor,  tho  humble, 
In  a  toun  tu  small  for  pedling, 
I  hav  studid  wel  the  peple, 
Lurnd  the  needs,  the  tastes  and  temper 


2o8  Boken. 

Ov  the  peple,  ov  our  nabors; 

Met  in  trade  the  travling  salesmen, 

Bot  from  them  the  goods  we  wanted, 

Noted  wel  their  ways  ov  biznes, 

That  I  mite,  in  toun  or  city, 

No  the  ways  ov  traders,  merchants.' 

'Jerry,  in  my  times  ov  lezur, 
Huen  I'm  fre  from  strain  ov  biznes, 
At  mi  home  or  in  mi  offis, 
Then  I  entertain  such  notions 
As  mi  frends  wud  scarse  beleev  I 
Harbor.     But  the  furst  conseptions, 
Thots  huich  in  mi  erly  manhud 
Mor  than  rizing  profits  cheerd  me, 
Ar  as  fresh,  as  helpful,  suthing 
As  a  rain  in  parching  wether. 
Happy  was  I  in  mi  progres, 
Happy  with  the  wurk  and  planning, 
With  sukses  I  dard  not  hope  for; 
And  I'm  happy  nou,  most  happy, 
With  mi  trade  incresing  daly; 
Not  becaus  ov  grater  profits, 
But  becaus  mi  place  in  biznes 
Pruves  mi  corse,  my  furst  ideals.' 

'Wil  yu  tel  ov  those  impressions, 
Ov  those  hope -inspiring  notions 


The  Merchant  a  Student.  209 

Huich  yu  sa  hav  nervd  and  cheerd  yu  ? 
Notions  I  hav,  and  wud  test  them 
Bi  yor  oan,  that  stood  the  life  test' 

'Listen,  then,  as  I  relate  them; 
Tel  yu  things  that  uthers  hear  not. 
Polititians,  prechers,  techers, 
Bilders,  arkitects,  musitians, 
Plarites,  poets,  actors,  printers, 
One  alon  or  sevral  orders, 
Hav  the  prais  for  all  advansment. 
If,  comparing  past  with  present, 
It  appears  the  wurld  is  better, 
That  the  peple  hav  mor  cumfort, 
That  intellijens  and  nolle j 
Ar  more  widespred,  seem  mor  stable, 
All  the  classes  I  hav  mentiond 
Sing  together,   Se  our  pr ogres  ! 
Huen  the  wurld  was  rapt  in  darknes, 
Huen  intellijens  was  loest, 
Then  the  rulers,  polititians, 
Prechers,  landlords,  nites  and  ladys, 
All  the  qality,  the  fashon, 
Wer  mor  boastful,  self-sufitient, 
In  their  manner  mor  assuming, 
Much  mor  richus  than  the  modern, 
Than  these  classes  in  Chicago. 


2io  JBoken. 

Hu  ov  all  the  hauty  richus, 

All  then  noan,  obayd  and  onord, 

In  his  life,  bi  wurd  or  action, 

Helpt  the  wurld  tu  better  temper  ? 

Long  befor  the  aj  ov  darknes, 

Aj  ov  abject  sloth  and  basenes, 

There  wer  peple — Estern,  Western — 

Hu  wer  hily  culturd,  happy, 

Wer  advanst  in  art  and  syence, 

In  the  things  that  make  for  better; 

Wer  as  wise  and  cute  as  Yankees. 

Can  yu  nou  anticipate  me, 

Ges  the  trend,  the  consumation  ? ' 

'  Far  yu  go  beyond  my  reading, 
Far  beyond  my  depest  thinking. 
Du  not  let  me  spoil  the  fabric: 
Weav  it  out,  compleet  the  pattern.' 

' l Always  peple  thrive  and  prosper 
Huen  tha  patronize  the  merchants  ; 
Huen  the  big  and  little  traders 
Make  exchanges  for  the  peple, 
By  and  sel  the  surplus  products, 
Making  fairest  distribution, 
Giving  life  tu  all  industrys. 
Then  there's  tru  co-operation 
And  the  wurld  sees  groth  and  progres. 


Huat  Merchants  Du.  2 1 1 

All  the  records,  all  tradition 
Wil  sustain  this  vu  ov  commerce, 
And,  thus  stated,  fu  deny  it. 
But  the  meny  tribes,  erratic, 
And  the  meny  nations,  wanton, 
Nurs  an  il  wil  that  is  nativ, 
Rude,  barbaric,  yet  is  human, 
All  ways  hindring  fre  exchanjes, 
Sumtimes  stoping  all  exchanjes. 

'Thus  the  peple,  all  the  peple, 
Suffer  from  their  oan  short  vizion, 
From  neglect  ov  public  matters. 
Then  a  fu,  aristocratic, 
And  a  fu  hoos  god  is  muny, 
Wurking  out  their  selfish  projects, 
Stimulate  existing  feeling, 
Help  tu  make  a  bitter  feeling 
With  the  uther  trading  peples, 
That,  with  outside  trade  obstructed, 
Tha  ma  hav  an  unernd  incum, 
Ma  monopolize  the  markets 
And  exact  egrejus  profits. 

'Hu  wil  muv  these  grate  obstructions, 
Stil  the  prejuditial  hatreds 
In  the  wa  ov  peace  and  commerce  ? 
If  the  merchants  du  not  du  it, 


212  Boken. 

If  tha  du  not  get  the  peple, 
If  tha  du  not  keep  the  peple 
In  the  wa  ov  seling,  bying, 
In  the  mood  tu  help  each  uther, 
Help  themselvs  in  helping  uthers — 
If  the  merchants  du  not  du  this, 
'Twil  be  left  undun  forever: 
Not  anuther  clas  wil  du  it; 
Uther  classes  can  not  du  it. 

'  Huen  again  the  merchants  faulter, 
Huen  the  grander  classes  doun  them, 
There  wil  be  no  education, 
Be  no  depth  or  spred  ov  nollej, 
No  incentiv,  need  or  object, 
No  desire  for  human  progres, 
No  invention,  no  impruvment ; 
But,  insted,  impovrisht  wurkers, 
And,  enduring,  grim  stagnation. 

'These  the  notions,  the  convictions 
Huich  hav  borne  me  thru  the  trials, 
Huich  hav  kept  me  truthful,  onest, 
Made  me  dilijent  in  biznes, 
Strengthend  me  in  dullest  sezons, 
Given  cumfort  huen  the  peple 
Wer  as  pevish  as  an  infant 
In  the  time  ov  erly  tething. ' 


The  Men  Hu  Made  Chicago.         21 

Pausing  here,  the  merchant  aded: 
'Hav  yu  thot  that  men  ov  biznes, 
Men  hu  seem  tu  skeem  for  muny, 
Hav  such  notions  ov  their  calling, 
Ov  their  duty  tu  the  peple  ? ' 

'I  confes, '  sed  Jerry,  sloly, 
'That  I  never  had  such  notions; 
Never  thot  that  bizzy  merchants 
Entertaind  exalted  notions 
Ov  their  duty,  ov  a  mission. 
But,  once  hearing,  I  adopt  them. 
I  shal  be  mor  wachful,  zelus, 
Better  brook  the  captius  custom, 
With  mi  inward  self  inclining 
Tu  be  constant  in  mi  calling. 
Nou  I  se  a  hyer  motiv, 
One  tu  stedy  me  in  dealing 
With  the  hasty,  fretful  custom, 
With  the  dolts  hu  try  the  patiens 
Ov  the  byer,  ov  the  salesman. 
Du  yu  think,  tho,  Mister  Fordham, 
That  the  merchants  ov  Chicago 
Entertain  these  hi  ideals  ? ' 

'Be  assured  that  there  ar  meny 
Hu  hav  sentiments  exalted 
Far  abuv  the  strife  for  muny. 


214  Boktn. 

These  bild  up  and  make  the  city, 
Bring  the  trade  that  makes  the  city.' 

'Then,  sur,  these,  in  aim  united, 
Mite  repres  the  evil  workers, 
Those  hu  so  dissension,  discord, 
Interfere  with  distant  traffic.' 

'  Hold  a  minut,   Jerry ;  listen. 
Therin  lize  a  graver  danjer. 
With  the  holesale  trade  united 
There  wud  folio  scales  ov  prices — 
Scale  for  bying,   scale  for  seling. 
Such  ar  nou  tu  freqent,  common. 
Meny  lines  ov  goods  we  handle 
Ar  controld  bi  cliks  and  combines, 
And  the  peple  hu  must  suffer, 
Since  tha  can  not  reach  the  offenders, 
Make  to  us  their  just  remonstrans. 

'Trade  depends  on  competition, 
Gets  its  life  from  competition. 
Giv  control  ov  all  exchanjes 
Tu  a  fu,   houever  sorted, 
And  their  luv  ov  welth  and  pouer, 
Tho  tha  start  all  fair  and  onest, 
Wil  defeat  their  sense  ov  duty. 
Tha  themselvs  wil  take  such  profits, 
Cutting  wajes  ov  producers, 


Jerry's  Pr ogres.  215 

Raising  prices  tu  consumers, 

As  wil  curb  and  chek  production 

And  result  in  direful  panic.' 

'If  I  ment  as  yu  hav  taken,' 
Jerry  sed  at  brake  ov  sentence, 
Wating  not  for  further  comment — 
'If  I  sed  as  yu  hav  taken, 
I  se  plainly  nou  mi  error. 
Better,  tu,   I  se  yor  meaning; 
Better  get  yor  brod  ideas. 
Mi  respect  for  yor  opinions 
Wil  not  let  me  dout  yor  jujment. 
Not  an  ezy  task,  tho  plezant, 
Is  the  task  yu  place  befor  me. 
As  the  chanj,  in  skool,  ov  readers 
Rather  is  tu  broder,  deeper, 
Than  tu  matter  grately  diffrent, 
So  yor  intuitions  differ 
From  mi  oan  in  depth  and  larjnes, 
In  the  riper  thot,   experience, 
In  their  groth  thru  yers  ov  trial, 
Rather  than  in  base  or  object. 
But,  once  mor,  yor  rules  ov  action, 
Thoz  ideals  as  furst  yu  gave  them — 
Wil  yu  make  again  the  statements, 
That  I  ma  be  sure  I  hav  them  ? ' 


2 1 6  Boken. 

* 

But  the  merchant,  not  repeting, 
Spoke  ov  traders'  trials,  panics, 
Illustrating,   amplifying, 
That  the  novis  mite  forno  them. 

'Men  ar  subject  tu  their  passions, 
Prone  tu  narro  ranj  ov  vizion. 
In  a  hall,  a  big  assembly, 
Sa  but  Fire!  and  all  the  peple 
In  a  breth  ar  in  a  panic. 
Tho  the  bilding  hav  no  matter 
That  wud  make  a  blaze  or  smolder, 
Tho  there  be  no  fire  within  it, 
Be  no  chance  for  fire  about  it, 
Yet  the  peple,   men  and  wimen, 
Panic  striken,   rush  for  egres ; 
Frantic,   crazy,  in  a  minut 
Tha  wil  blok  the  ample  passaj, 
Croud  and  crush  til  men  and  wimen, 
Screming,   fainting,  fall  egzausted 
And  ar  trampeld  by  the  uthers. 
This  I'v  seen,  hav  bin  a  witnes; 
Kept  mi  seat  huile  uther  peple 
Lost  their  heds  in  cauzless  panic 
Huer  tha  cud  hav  gon  in  safety, 
Gon  without  the  rushing,  crushing; 
But  for  their  insane  exitement 


Silver  Coin  and  Civilization.         217 

Cud  hav  made  a  qiker  exit. 

'Thus  the  wurld  is,  thus  its  biznes 
Ma  be  thron  in  suden  panic. 
Thautless  men  ma  start  a  panic 
With  their  thotless  wurds  and  actions. 
Skeming  men  ma  caus  a  panic 
For  the  prestij  it  ma  bring  them. 
Men  in  public  vail  their  passions; 
Often  hav  ulterior  motivs. 
Men  hu  tauk  ov  lau  and  order, 
Ask  for  rijid  laus  and  statutes 
And  for  strict  and  ful  enforsment — 
All  for  sake  ov  pece  and  order! 
For  the  sake  ov  rite  and  justis! — 
Sumtimes  hav  ulterior  motivs: 
Wud  destroy  the  peple's  muny, 
Paralyze  the  retail  traders, 
Leav  the  biznes  wurld  in  ruin; 
As  it  was  huen  Roman  pagans, 
Those  hu  oand  the  land,  patritians, 
Banisht  muny — gold  and  silver — 
Put  in  use  a  legal  muny, 
A  debasing  token  muny, 
Drove  from  use  the  merchants'  muny, 
Coins  huich  in  themselvs  had  valu, 
And,  with  traders  broken,  ruind, 


2 1 8  Boktn. 

Oand  the  wurld,  the  lands  and  peples, 
Made  the  Roman  wurld  their  servants, 
Led  the  wurld  tu  rak  and  darknes. 

'Uthers,  witless,  pert,  dogmatic, 
Load  themselvs  with  sensless  hobby, 
Fads  political  and  sotial, 
And  becum  offitius  pedlars. 
Mor  persistent,  danjrus  these  ar 
Than  the  polititians,   pagans, 
Than  the  men  hu  corner  markets 
Or  the  men  hu  strike  at  muny ; 
For  their  ignorance  makes  them  helples, 
And  the  wiser  skemers  uz  them 
In  their  plots  for  welth  and  onor. 

'In  the  Fudal  times  the  merchants 
Wer  despizd  bi  titled  ruffians, 
Bi  the  anarkists  hu  guvernd: 
And  to -da  the  bizzy  merchants, 
Those  engajd  in  actual  trading, 
Ar  tabood,  refuzd  admittance 
In  aristocratic  surcles, 
In  the  houses  ov  the  barons, 
Those  hu  wud  in  fact  be  barons, 
Wud  be  hauty  lords  and  ladys, 
But  for  merchants  and  their  helpers 
And  the  peple's  muny,  silver, 


Mor  about  Silver.  219 

Muny  with  intrinsic  valu ; 
Not  the  jiat,  not  the  promts, 
But  the  muny  huich  is  muny; 
Not  a  stamp  tu  giv  it  valu, 
But  its  wate  in  standard  silver. 

'  Thus  yu  se  the  stedy  merchant 
Is  ov  men  the  most  important. 
He  must  be  protean,  jenial ; 
Must  be  servant,   frend  and  master; 
Always  wachful,   seldom  forward, 
In  his  qiet  wa  a  leader.' 

Then  as  Jerry  wud  hav  spoken, 
Wud  hav  made  remark,  inqiry, 
Did  in  fact  begin  tu  utter, 
Spoke  ov  observation,  reading, 
Ov  his  egernes  for  nollej, 
Mister  Fordham,   interrupting, 
Gave  huat  Jerry  wud  hav  askt  for. 

'Yes;   yor  skuling  is  suffitient. 
Observation,   intuition, 
Just  the  corse  yu  hav  bin  taking, 
And  a  corse  in  jeneral  reading — 
Boox,  tho,  not  the  papers  only, 
Tho  yu  must  peruz  the  papers 
For  events  and  current  prices— 
Wil,  as  needed,  giv  yu  nollej, 


220  Boken. 

Giv  yu  all  yu  need  in  biznes. 

'But  in  reading  read  the  marjins, 
Read  the  wurds  the  author  givs  yu, 
Then  supply  the  wurds  omitted. 
Read  betueen  the  lines  the  sentens 
Huich  the  author,  for  a  rezon, 
Left  unsed  in  his  recital. 
Uz  yor  pensil,  fil  the  marjins ; 
Keep  yor  boox  and  read  them  later. 
Then  in  time  yor  boox  wil  tel  yu 
Hou  yor  mind  has  chanjd  in  makup. 
All  mi  boox  ar  thus  commented 
And  tu  me  hav  aded  valu. 
Sum  I  interlind  in  boyhud, 
And  thoz  comments — wurds  and  frazes, 
Seldom  sentences  completed — 
Sho  hou  ernestly  I  ponderd, 
Hou  I'v  held  mi  furst  opinions, 
Tu  the  intuitions,  notions 
Huich  hav  held  me  tu  mi  biznes, 
Held  me  stedy  huen  temtation 
Lurd  mi  f rends  tu  speculation, 
Fird  their  minds  with  luv  ov  muny, 
With  insane  desire  for  muny, 
Huich,  with  fortun  or  misfortun, 
Makes  them  always  discontented. 


Optimistic  and  Pesimistic.  221 

'Nou,   I  calld  yu  here  this  evening 
With  a  wel  defind  intention. 
Tho  our  biznes  nou  is  rushing, 
It  wil  gro  much  grater,  larjer, 
And  wil  tax  our  strength  and  patiens. 
I  must  hav  a  trustful  helper, 
One  hoos  jujment  I  can  trust  in. 
In  the  hous  ar  yung  men,  old  men, 
Sum  hoos  servis  wud  commend  them 
Tu  mi  best  consideration. 
But  huen  all  ar  waid  and  recond, 
All  the  credits,  debits  balanst, 
Not  anuther  has  the  talents, 
Has  the  qalitys  that  yu  hav. 

'Tho  yor  pa  is  nou  much  hyer 
Than  is  paid  tu  yor  position, 
Tu  yor  standing,  aj  and  servis, 
From  to-morro  it  wil  duble. 

'Huen  the  Exposition  opens 
Yu  wil  manaj  our  egzibits, 
Hav  the  charj  ov  goods  and  custom, 
All  the  trade  the  Fair  ma  bring  us. 
On  the  sales  tu  transient  custom — 
Stranjers,  temporary  dealers — 
Yu  wil  hav  the  same  commissions 
As  ar  payd  tu  uther  salesmen, 


222  Boken. 

And  yor  standing  salary  also. 

'  Let  expenditurs  be  sparing, 
Scarse  a  tithe  ov  all  yor  incum, 
Ov  the  good,   the  goodly  incum 
Huich  the  cuming  yer  wil  bring  yu. 

1  Nou  yorself ,   let  me  advise  yu. 
Keep  yor  mind  from  elevation. 
Be  good  naturd,  ezy,  open, 
But  confide  tu  nun  yor  prospects. 
Keep  yor  mind  engajd  in  biznes, 
Get  the  run  ov  all  the  biznes. 
Leav  yorself  no  time  for  folly 
Til  yor  habits  form  and  rule  yu: 
Let  yor  biznes  be  yor  plezur.' 

With  thez  wurds  the  merchant,  rising, 
Closd  the  qiet,  plesant  converse. 


XVI. 

JENNY'S  LETTER— JERRY'S  DECISION. 

NU-MADE  frends  ar  sumtimes  trusty, 
Ma  endure  the  test  ov  trial 
Huen  tu  them  there's  naut  in  common, 
Naut  ov  sentiment  or  profit : 
But  the  frends  we'v  noan  the  longest, 
Those  hu  meny  times  hav  helpt  us, 
Borne  our  burdens  and  our  sorroz, 
Shard  with  us  our  joys  and  cumforts, 
Never  shrinking,  never  envying— 
These  the  frends  hu  ma  be  trusted 
As  we  trust  our  bruthers,  sisters : 
Even  mor  than  kith  and  kindred ; 
For  our  oan  ar  sumtimes  jelus, 
Ma  be  ruld  bi  selfish  motivs, 
Sumtimes  envy  talents,  fortun, 
And  ar  pron  tu  wish  us  evil. 

Mary  Jonson  luvd  her  sisters, 
Luvd  her  bruthers,  muther,  f other, 
But  her  closest  frend  and  comrad 


224  Bo  ken. 

Was  her  nabor,  Jenny  Wilson. 

Huen  the  gossips,  all  the  villa j, 
Taukt  ov  Jenny  and  6v  Jerry, 
Ov  the  outcum  ov  the  party, 
Mary  gatherd  all  the  story s, 
All  the  gesses,  all  the  opinions, 
And  repeted  them  tu  Jenny. 

'Once  befor  yor  name  was  blazond, 
Peple  taukt  ov  Jenny  Wilson 
And  her  essa  in  the  Argon, 
Huen  we  red  our  labord  papers 
At  the  close  ov  skool  and  study. 
Then  our  parents,  taking  counsel, 
Stild  the  tungs  and  stopt  the  clamor. 
Nou,  my  sister,  we  must  brave  it ; 
Yu  alon  must  du  the  acting — 
Yu  the  star  and  I  the  promter. 
We  wil  plan  a  splendid  issu, 
Win  for  yu  a  noble  husband, 
If  yor  vizions  hav  bin  onest. 
But,  mi  derest,  ar  yu  certain 
That  yu  sau  the  apparition, 
Sau  the  face  as  then  yu  sau  it  ? ' 

'  Mary,  if  the  apparition , 
If  the  face  I  sau  in  vizion, 
Huen  a  child  and  huen  a  wuman, 


The  Recognition.  225 

Cud  be  plaist  beside  his  pictur, 

Bi  his  face  as  I  beheld  it 

In  his  meny  surching  glances, 

I  cud  not  the  one  distinguish 

From  the  uther  self -same  likenes. 

All  the  wurld  cud  not  disturb  me 

In  mi  confidens  in  Jerry. 

Huen  he  took  mi  hand  and  prest  it, 

Not  as  uthers  e'er  hav  prest  it, 

As  no  uther  cud  e'er  pres  it 

Tho  the  wurld  mite  hav  the  trial, 

There  was  such  a  mutual  shudder, 

Such  a  sudden  recognition, 

That  we  both  wer  wel  ni  fainting. 

In  a  second  we  recuverd, 

But  we  wer  not  as  we  had  bin, 

Wer  not,  cud  not  then  be  stranjers. 

All  forgetful  ov  the  vizions, 

Past  and  present  all  forgeting, 

As  if  we  alone  wer  present 

And  had  always  bin  tugether, 

Each  tu  uther  was  respondent; 

And  I  marvel  that  the  uthers, 

All  the  peple  in  the  party, 

Did  not  stand  in  blank  amazment 

At  the  acts  ov  tu  such  luvers. 


226  Boken. 

Yet  yu  sa  that,  tho  yu  sau  it, 
Clerly  sau  at  furst  the  meaning, 
Not  anuther  soal  dissernd  it. 

'Mary,  there's  no  room  for  clouting. 
Yers  befor  I  sau  mi  husband 
I  beheld  him  in  a  vizion. 
Then  agane  I  sau  his  pictur. 
And  the  messajes  deliverd, 
Givn  each  time  in  fairy's  huisper, 
Huich  the  poets  oft  hav  told  ov, 
Hav  bin  verifyd  and  pruven. 
Since  the  furst  I'v  not  bin  skeptic. 
Nou  mi  faith  is  as  a  mountain, 
And  yor  oan  has  bin  as  constant.' 

This  the  sentiment  prevaling 
In  the  minds  ov  Jenny  Wilson 
And  her  comrad,   Mary  Jonson, 
Huen  the  letter  came  from  Jerry, 
From  the  subject  ov  their  converse. 

Nou,  mi  readers,  hav  compassion, 
Hav  respect  for  luving  maden, 
Hav  respect  for  me,  yor  author: 
Du  not  think  that  Jenny's  feelings 
Cum  within  the  scope  ov  f razes, 
Cum  within  the  frijid  boundary* 
Ov  the  wurds  in  eny  languaj. 


A  Luv  Letter.  237 

Luv  that  ma  be  told  in  languaj, 
In  the  wurds  in  common  usaj, 
Is  not  luv;  'tis  only  promis, 
Just  the  wurd  ov  mouth  in  bidding 
Huen  the  auctioneer  is  shouting ; 
Huen  we  bid  abuv  the  uthers, 
On  the  impulse  ov  the  moment. 

Jenny's  anser,  after  counsel, 
After  serius  tauks  with  Mary, 
Was,  in  breef,  in  ful,  as  folloz: 

Mister  Jerry  C.   O'Connell: 

I  shall  be  at  home  on   Thursday. 

You  may  make  a  call  at  pleasure, 

In  the  afternoon  or  evening. 
For  the  present, 

Jenny   Wilson. 

FROM  his  city  home  departing, 
Haf  a  week  in  broken  travel, 
Intermixt  with  taking  orders, 
Keeping  trade  in  normal  ferment, 
On  his  surkit  Jerry  wanderd 
Er  he  came  tu  Boken  villaj, 
Tu  the  home  ov  Jenny  Wilson. 


228  Boken. 

In  his  thauts  he  waverd,  anxius, 
Nou  in  hope  and  nou  in  douting. 
'Wer  her  wurds  tu  me  at  parting, 
As  I  left  her  at  her  dorwa, 
Sed  in  ernest  or  in  trifling  ? 
Huen  I  se  yu  nou  77  no  yu. 
Fv  not  noan  yu  til  this  evning. 
Til  I  recognizd  yor  feturs 
Huile  yu  held  me  as  yor  partner. 
Hav  I  bin  the  gul  ov  uthers  ? 
Has  she  playd  a  trik  tu  each  me  ? 
Is  this  hole  affair  a  suindle  ? 
Hu  was  furst  tu  tauk  ov  party 
As  a  means  tu  end  stagnation, 
Muv  the  clog  in  natur's  proces, 
Start  again  the  marrying  custom 
In  that  little  railroad  villaj  ? 

'I  can  not  recall  the  progres 
Ov  the  tauk,   or  hu  began  it, 
Hu  propozd  or  hu  encurajd. 
But  I  no  that  thre  wer  partys, 
And  that   I  was  not  the  sloest. 
'Tis  as  much  mi  game  as  eny's, 
And  I  '1  pla  it  out  and  win  it ; 
Take  the  stake,  and  take  it  qikly. 

'  But  huat  cud  hav  bin  her  meaning 


A  Skemer  Puzzeld.  229 

In  thoz  wurds  she  sed  at  parting  ? 
I'v  not  no  an  yu  til  this  evning, 
Til  I  recognizd  yor  feturs. 
Not  until  that  very  evning 
Had  we  ever  conversation, 
Tho  we  nu  at  site  each  uther, 
Bi  our  names  we  nu  each  uther; 
And  aqaintans  then  was  formal. 

'  Til  I  recognizd  yor  feturs  ! 
Did  not  no  me,  yet  recalld  me ! 
Recognizd  forgotten  feturs ! 
Those  once  noan  and  since  forgotten. 
Sure,  tha  told  me  Jenny  Wilson 
Had  not  in  her  life  bin  absent 
From  her  home  in  little  Boken. 
And  since  furst  I  went  tu  Boken 
Not  a  chance  had  she  tu  no  me, 
Not  a  chance  tu  be  forgetful, 
Not  the  time  tu  luze  aqaintans. 

'  Huat  wud  peple,  thoz  hu  no  me, 
Sa  if  tha  nu  nou  this  puzzle  ? ' 

Thus  engrost  with  thauts  ov  Jenny, 
Not  unmindful  ov  the  gossips 
And  the  chance  that  tha  wer  glad  ov; 
And  his  oan  part  wel  remembring, 
Hou  but  lately  he  wud  hav  them 


230  Boktn. 

Tauk  ov  her  and  ov  her  partner; 
Hav  her  partner  be  her  luver; 
Hav  them  tauk  ov  erly  marrij — 
Jerry,  thus  engrost  in  muzing, 
Left  the  train  at  Boken  villaj, 
Met  the  glances  ov  the  peple. 

And  the  oddest  peple,  surely, 
As  he  sau  them,  ever  fashond. 
Evry  face  was  like  a  qestion, 
Like  the  sine  that  marks  a  qestion 
In  the  modern  reading  matter, 
In  the  boox  and  in  the  papers. 

And  the  number,  o,  the  meny. 
Was  a  maden  absent,  missing 
Huen  the  train  puld  in  at  Boken  ? 
Not  the  madens  only,   meny, 
But  the  peple,  all  the  villaj, 
At  the  station  seemd  expectant, 
In  the  postman's  stor  room  crouded, 
On  the  smallest  pretense  gatherd 
Huer  tha  mite  behold  the  travler. 

Du  yu  wunder,  then,  that  Jerry, 
Just  as  soon  as  biznes  loost  him, 
Saut  releef  from  qizzing  faces, 
Went  direct  tu  Mistres  Wilson's, 
As  Mis  Jenny  had  sugjested  ? 


XVII. 

MATED  — MENY  CUPPLES. 

PEPLES  chanj,  and  with  them  customs. 
In  the  Estern  lands  a  luver 
Ma  not  meet  alon  in  cortship, 
Ma  not  meet  his  luv  in  privat, 
Ma  not  tauk  with  her  ov  marrij. 
With  her  f other,  bruther,  gardian, 
Thru  his  muther  or  sum  uther, 
Must  be  made  his  cort  and  shoing; 
Must  be  fixt  the  marrij  portions. 
Thus  betrothd  in  antient  manner, 
Yet  the  swain  ma  meet  his  chosen 
In  an  uther's  presence  only; 
And  in  sum  lands  must  be  marrid 
Er  he  ma  with  her  be  present, 
Hear  her  vois  or  se  her  figur. 

But  the  West,  the  nu  and  chanjing 
Land  ov  pioneers  and  progres, 
Sets  at  naut  the  formal  customs, 
Thoz  that  hamper  older  peples, 


232  Bo  ken. 

Keeping  welth  and  pouer  seqesterd 
In  the  hands  ov  thoz  hu  chanj  not. 
Huat  wud  Persians,  Turks  or  Koptics 
Think  ov  Western  ways  ov  cortship, 
Ov  the  fredom  ov  the  sexes 
In  the  land  huer  Jerry  corted  ? 

Mistres  Wilson  welcomd  Jerry, 
Tu  her  houshold  made  him  welcom ; 
Taukt  ov  wether,  ov  the  prospects 
Huich  the  farmers  had  ov  harvest ; 
Taukt  a  minut,  and  she  left  him, 
With  her  trusted  dauter  left  him, 
And  resumd  the  thred  ov  dutys; 
Did  the  chores  that  she  was  wont  tu 
Du  in  hous  and  yard  and  kichen. 

Luv  is  jentle,  luv  is  trusting; 
Can  not  brook  the  ways  ov  lauyers, 
Can  not  mind  the  rules  ov  lojic, 
Has  no  time  for  Muther  Grundy ; 
Simply  asks  and  simply  ansers. 

Feeling  this,  tho  not  as  children 
Lerning  lessons  from  their  teacher — 
Feeling  this  from  intuition, 
As  barbarian  luvers  feel  it 
Huen  their  surcumstances  favor, 


Once  in  a  Lifetime.  233 

As  the  Cristian  luvers  feel  it 
Huen  the  customs  du  not  hinder, 
Jerry  qite  forgot  the  qestions 
Huich  the  peple's  faces  carryd, 
Huich  himself  he  had  bin  asking, 
And,  as  if  entranst  bi  Cupid, 
In  the  transe  that  nums  the  senses, 
All  the  senses  save  the  hyest, 
Save  the  sens  ov  intuition, 
Herd  no  vois  but  that  ov  Jenny, 
Had  no  thaut  but  ov  the  present. 

Jenny,  tho  but  late  rehersing, 
Not  an  our  ago,  from  Mary, 
Hearing  all  the  flying  story s, 
All  the  gesses  as  to  Jerry, 
Huether  he  wud  stop  in  Boken, 
And,  if  so,  wud  wish  tu  se  her, 
Think  again  ov  casual  partner, 
One,  perhaps,  ov  duzens,  hundreds, 
At  his  home  and  in  his  travels — 
Jenny,  tu,  tho  not  forgetful, 
In  her  normal  state  reflectiv, 
Needing  not  an  art  nemonic, 
Had  not  nou  a  faint  remembrance, 
Not  a  thaut  ov  all  the  gossip, 
Ov  the  chance  and  wurk  ov  Fortun 


234  Boken. 

In  aqainting  her  with  Jerry. 

All  thez  things  wer  past,  forgotten, 
With  their  childhud  seens  forgotten. 

Huat  tha  sed  had  little  meaning 
Til  their  soals'  affairs  wer  settled, 
Til  tha  nu,  each  nu  the  uther, 
And  their  harts  as  one  wer  beating. 
Wurds  at  such  time  hav  their  offis, 
Wud  be  sadly  mist  if  wanting, 
But  tu  weak  ar,  insufitient, 
Can  not  du  the  wurk  ov  spirit. 

All  their  soals'  desires  establisht, 
Each  reposing  on  the  uther, 
On  the  luv,  tho  sudden,  furmer 
Than  the  strictest  form  ov  contract 
Huich  the  common  lau  or  statutes 
Wud  enforce  betueen  the  makers, 
Conversation  turnd  from  nuthings 
Tu  their  plans  for  life,  the  futur, 
Tu  conditions  then  existing 
And  their  plans  and  hopes  in  chanjes 
Huich  their  marrid  state  wud  call  for. 

'  Short  the  time  as  yu  ma  name  it ; 
Just  a  week,  or  tu  weeks,  thre  weeks. 
With  this  trip  I  take  vacation ; 
Tu  munths,  thre  munths  I  ma  wander 


The  Fulfilment.  235 

Thru  Wisconsin  suamps  and  forests 

Se  mi  parents  and  mi  sisters, 

Se  the  frends  IV  noan  from  boyhud. 

'Long  IV  wurkt  without  vacation, 
Wurkt  with  stedy  aim  and  purpos. 
Nou  alon  I  oan  the  biznes, 
And  with  Autum,  with  returning 
Life  in  trade,,  in  biznes  surcles, 
I  shal  make  mi  home,  shal  settle 
In  the  city,  in  Chicago ; 
Shal  no  mor  be  travling  salesman. 

'Yu  ma  take  yor  time  at  plezur, 
Chuz  yor  naborhud,  location, 
And  we'l  by  a  hous  or  bild  one; 
Such  a  one  as  yu  ma  fancy 
Huen  yu'v  seen  a  thousand  models, 
Seen  the  best  in  all  Chicago. ' 

Huat  cud  Jerry  sa  mor  plezant  ? 
Hou  can  Jenny  giv  expression 
Tu  her  thauts  and  keep  her  secret  ? 

'  For  miself  I  '1  speak  directly. 
Mi  relijun  duz  not  hinder, 
No  exactions  makes  ov  luvers, 
Ov  the  fre  hu  wish  tu  marry. 
If  I  marrid  nou,  this  evning, 
Not  a  wurd  wud  Elder  Jonson 


236  Bo  ken. 

Sa  tu  vex  or  critisize  me. 
I  wud  like  tu  se  Chicago, 
I  wud  like  tu  se  Wisconsin ; 
As  yor  wife  I  hope  tu  se  them, 
Se  yor  frends  and  all  yor  kindred. 

'I  wil  go  with  yu  to-morro, 
Go  huer  yu  go,  huer  yu  tel  me, 
If  mi  fother  and  mi  muther 
Yu  ma  win  tu  such  proposal. 
Til  I'm  marryd  tha  wil  gide  me; 
Huen  I'm  marryd  I'l  be  mistres, 
But  mi  husband  ma  command  me. 

'There's  mi  fother,  just  returning 
Yu  se  him  and  I'l  se  muther. 
Tha  shal  fix  the  da  for  marrij.' 

JERRY,  self-possest  and  ezy, 
As  if  not  anuther  object  had  he 
But  tu  tauk  with  Mister  Wilson 
On  the  wether,  on  sum  topic 
Far  from  biznes  and  from  marrij, 
Simply  greet  him,  hav  a  welcum 
Tu  his  frugal  home  and  happy — 
Jerry,  in  his  ezy  manner, 
Ezy  furst  and  ernest  later, 
Soon  aquainted  Fother  Wilson 


Mister   Wilson  Speaks.  237 

With  the  progres  ov  the  cortship, 
Ov  the  promis  made  bi  Jenny, 
Ov  her  defrence  tu  her  parents — 
Made  his  speech  and  wated  anser. 

'  Tu  we  had,  tu  little  children ; 
Then  the  anjels,  jelus  anjels 
I  hav  sumtimes  thot  tu  call  them, 
Took  the  furstborn,  took  the  elder, 
Took,  entiste  from  us  our  darling 
Er  she  lernd  the  ways  ov  erthlife. 
One  was  left,  and  in  maturing 
She  reseevd  the  care  and  kindnes 
Huich  her  oan  wer  and  her  sister's. 
She  has  bin  our  lite  ov  promis, 
Bin  our  hope  and  sta  and  ankor. 
All  our  efforts,  planning,  chanjing, 
In  our  home,  in  work  and  biznes, 
Had  in  vu  one  sacred  object, 
Jenny's  welfare,  present,  futur. 

'  I  mite  make  complaint  ov  Natur, 
Wei  mite  cry  aloud  in  anguish, 
Mite  abuz  the  man  hu  robs  me 
Ov  mi  dauter,  ov  mi  homelite. 

'But  miself  once  playd  the  robber, 
Took  a  fother's  only  dauter: 
And  as  he,  tu  fate  resining, 


238  Boken. 

Gave  consent  with  grace  and  blessing, 
In  his  sorro  made  us  happy, 
So  I  nou  consent  as  frely, 
Hoping  yu  wil  be  a  husband 
As  I'v  bin  tu  her  a  fother, 
Ruling  her,  and  all  yor  houshold, 
Furmly,  yet  in  luv  and  kindnes. 
Du  not  drau  the  rains  tu  titely, 
Du  not  hold  the  rains  tu  loosly. 
Lern  her  temper,   mental  makup; 
Let  her  lern  yor  oan,  consistent; 
Lern  yu,  that  she  may  respect  yu; 
Mind  yu,  that  she  ma  not  wander. 

'Let  the  wimen  make  arranjments, 
Fix  the  date  and  style  ov  wedding. 
In  such  things  we  men  no  little. 
If  we  bauk  them  tha  wil  chide  us.' 

IN  the  hous  the  muther,  bizzy, 
Thot  ov  days  huen  she  was  yunger, 
Tho  wel  kept  she  is  and  cumly, 
Not  a  pra  tu  aj  or  hardship; 
Is  to -da,  in  face  and  figur, 
As  I  se  her,  not  yet  fifty, 
Such  a  one  as  men  wud  flatter. 

She  recalld  a  like  occasion, 


Mistres    Wilsons  Monolog.  23(3 

Huen  tu  her  there  came  a  cortier; 
Not  the  furst,  indeed,  but  sumhou 
He  was  furst  tu  hold  attention, 
Furst  tu  wake  her  wuman's  natur, 
Furst  tu  win  her  from  her  childish 
Ways  tu  thoz  ov  heeding  wuman. 

'  Is  this  Jerry  such  a  luver 
As  was  Henry  huen  I  met  him, 
Huen  at  furst  we  met  as  luvers  ? 
If  he  is  I  luz  my  dauter, 
Luz  mi  soal  remaning  dauter. 

'There  is  Henry — there  goz  Jerry- 
Here  is  Jenny. 

'Huat's  the  matter? 
Tel  me,  Jenny,  huat  has  happend. ' 

Jenny  furst  embrast  her  muther, 
And,  with  face  all  flusht  and  radiant, 
Told  in  actions,  told  in  frazes 
Mor  than  can  be  sed  in  trokees ; 
For,  tho  author  ma  be  brilliant, 
Ma  invent,  imajin  crises, 
He  ma  never  hope  tu  pictur 
The  emotions  ov  the  sexes 
At  the  time  ov  luv  and  marrij. 

Jenny  spoke  and  acted  feelings 
And  her  muther  fully  nu  them : 


240  Boken. 

Not  with  ize  and  ears,  tho  open, 
But  from  soal,  from  intuition. 

Then,  tugether,  luving,  trusting, 
Tha  prepard  and  set  the  supper, 
Huile  the  fother  taukt  with  Jerry 
In  the  yard  beyond  their  hearing. 

IN  the  wurld  ar  meny  cupples. 
Sum  ar  mated  in  the  spirit, 
Mated  in  prenatal  being, 
Mated  in  the  sfere  forgotten 
Er  on  Erth  tha  lurn  tu  utter 
Wurds  their  elders  ma  interpret. 
Tho  far  distant  tha  as  children 
Be  in  miles  or  in  condition, 
Tha  attract  and  hold  each  uther 
As  du  metals  and  the  loadstone. 

In  Wisconsin,  in  Chicago, 
In  his  travels  thru  the  cuntry, 
Jerry  nu  a  meny  wimen, 
Wimen  brite  and  good  and  pretty. 
Not  les  saut  was  he  than  Jenny; 
Not  les  diplomatic  was  he 
In  repelling  thoz  attentions 
Huich  mite  lead  tu  luv,  engajment. 
Not  a  gurl  had  claim  upon  him ; 


Mating  and  Marrij.  241 

Not  a  wuman  thaut  him  fikkle. 
Just  a  week  suffiste  for  Jerry. 
Then  a  week  suffiste  for  Jenny. 
Just  a  fortnite  from  the  meeting 
On  the  evning  ov  the  party 
Tha  wer  joind  in  hart  and  spirit, 
In  prevaling  manner  marrid. 

AR  there  uthers  nou  in  Boken 
Just  as  truly  macht  in  spirit  ? 
If  anjelic  Mary  Jonson, 
Tho  she  had  no  life-like  vizion, 
Herd  no  gostly  vois  or  huisper, 
Was  not  mated  er  she  nu  him, 
Er  in  childhud  Ambrose  Miller 
Calld  her  Sweethart,  kist  her, 
And  was  kind  and  modest  ever, 
She  was  yet  as  truly  mated 
As  was  Jenny  in  the  vizion, 
And  in  marraj  is  as  happy. 

In  the  wurld  ar  meny  cupples. 
Sum  ar  mated  in  the  spirit ; 
Meet,  and  find  each  uther  jenial ; 
Fre,  without  prenatal  bias, 
With  no  tenent  predilection, 
Thez  ar  tru  tu  natur's  presept 


242  Bo  ken. 

That  the  sexes  shud  cohabit, 
Shud  espouz  the  one  the  uther 
For  companionship,  affection, 
For  the  mutual  care  huich  britens 
Huat  wer  els  a  dismal  sojurn. 

Uthers,  tu,  wer  haply  mated: 
O,  a  meny  nou  wer  marrid, 
And  I  fear  that  sum  ar  sad ;  for 

In  the  wurld  ar  meny  cupples 
Hu  ar  not  in  marraj  mated, 
Ar  not  macht  in  taste  and  temper, 
Du  not  find  each  uther  jenial, 
Du  not  find  the  plezing  contrast 
Huich  tha  had  in  mind  at  marrij, 
In  the  days  huen  tha  wer  single. 
Meny,  meny  thus  continu, 
Each  alon  in  mind  and  spirit, 
Holding  naut  in  common,  holding 
Only  customs  as  tha  find  them. 
Meny,  tu,  ar  thoz  hu  wander, 
Thoz  not  in  the  spirit  weded: 
All  tu  meny  thoz  hu  wander 
From  the  path  ov  tru  allejance. 

Meny  men  and  meny  wimen 
Yet  ar  single  in  the  villaj, 
And  ma  never  hope  tu  marry: 


Ov  Huat  Is  Calld  Occult.  243 

Ruling  natal  stars  declare  it. 
We  can  not  dissern  the  rezon, 
Can  not  no  their  antesedents; 
Hou  distinctly  open  markings 
Cum  in  hands  ov  evry  infant. 
Nor  ma  we  dissern  the  futur: 
Hou  the  single  life  ma  fit  them 
For  the  life  tu  be  herafter, 
For  the  life  that  this  one  merits, 
For  the  life  it  predetermins, 
In  this  sfere  or  in  sum  uther, 
Huether  hyer,  huether  loer. 

In  the  wurld  ar  mingeld,   mingling, 
All  these  varius  kinds  ov  peple. 
I  hav  found  them,  yu  hav  found  them, 
And  in  spite  ov  sin  and  preching 
Tha  wil  all  be  here  forever. 
We  ma  help  ourselvs  and  uthers, 
Save  ourselvs  from  sin  and  truble, 
Du  the  good  and  not  the  evil, 
Be  rewarded  nou,  herafter. 
But  the  evil  wil  continu : 
Blited  lives  and  soals  discurajd, 
Hopeful  lives  and  soals  enrapturd 
Wil  for  ever  form  the  theses 
Ov  filosofers  and  poets. 


NOTES. 


IT  is  customary  tu  giv  mor  or  less  diffuse  notes  in  explanation 
or  defense  ov  passajes  huich  ma  not  be  made  ful  or  plain  in  vurs. 
These  notes  ar  usually  given  at  the  bottom  ov  the  pajes,  that  the 
reader  ma  carry  them  along  with  the  text.  But  it  seems  tu  me 
better  tu  giv  them  at  the  end,  as  here,  and  leav  the  text  free. 


SORCE   OV   THE    WATER   IN   PERENNIAL   SPRINGS. 

From  top  to  bottom,  side  to  side,  thru  all 
The  parts  ov  evry  mountain,  hi  or  lo, 
There's  water  for  the  trees  and  plants  and  gras, 
Tho  often  in  the  vally  'tis  not  found. 

—  P.  120. 

MY  attention  was  draun  to  this  subject  by  a  number 
ov  articles  in  syentific  publications,  usually  in  con- 
nection with  the  subject  ov  mineral  deposits.  I  shal 
not  discus  jeolojical  fenomena  further  than  to  giv  an 
outline  ov  a  hipothesis  suffitiently  comprehensiv  to 
make  clear  mi  theory  ov  the  orijin  and  continuance  ov 
permanent  springs.  Incidentally  I  assume  that  the 
Erth  is  eternal,  without  beginning,  always  renuing  its 
fenomena.  I  think  that  I  shal  make  it  appear  that 
this  assumption  is  necesary  to  account  for  the  water 
ov  permanent  springs. 

Chanjes  ar  continually  ocuring  in  the  erth,  from  the 
outer  rim  ov  atmosfere  to  the  very  center  ov  the  inner 


246  Notes. 

mas.  The  grate  inner  chanjes  produce  erthqakes  and 
volcanos.  The  minor  chanjes  ar  constant,  and  pro- 
duce the  ordinary  fenomena,  even  to  sum  extent  the 
chanjes  in  the  wether. 

A  shok  in  eny  part  ov  the  interior  ov  the  erth  ma  be 
felt  in  all  parts.  The  giving  awa  ov  the  support  ov  a 
larj  part  ov  the  solid  crust  wud  caus  its  presipitation 
upon  or  intu  the  molten  or  pouderd  mas,  and  the  shok 
wud  fors  an  outlet  to  releev  the  pressur.  A  mas  de- 
sending  in  America  mite  caus  an  eruption  in  Asia. 
The  eruption  wud  occur  at  the  weakest  place.  The 
crust  is  uneven.  Hence  the  shape  ov  the  inner  mas  is 
not  round.  In  sum  parts  there  ma  be  nun  ov  the  liter 
materials,  huile  in  uther  parts  the  liter  minerals  ar 
mast  in  order  and  redy  to  be  ejected  huen  an  eruption 
occurs  there.  Hence  in  sum  parts  ov  the  crust  there 
ar  nun  ov  the  heviest  minerals,  or  only  a  trace. 

In  this  wa  I  wud  account  for  the  jeolojic  periods. 
The  oldest  roks  and  remains  ar  those  that  hav  bin 
longest  abuv  the  floing  mas.  In  time  tha  wil  all  dis- 
appear and  nu  ones  wil  be  thron  up.  Ther  wil  always 
be  old  and  nu,  comparativly.  Hou  old  eny  ov  the 
present  forms  ar  I  wud  not  attemt  to  sa,  but  mi  con- 
clusion is  that  huat  has  happend  wil  happen. 

If  the  bed  ov  the  deepest  and  widest  ocean  is  so 
hevy  and  solid  that  the  inward  pressur  can  not  rais  or 
fractur  it,  but  finds  an  easier  point  for  attak,  a  section 
ov  the  vault  mor  easily  broken  and  raisd,  tho  it  is 
alredy  much  out  ov  proportion  in  hite,  the  forces  ov 
natur  wil  find  anuther  wa  ov  keeping  a  fair  degre  ov 
roundness  ov  the  inner  and  the  outer  lines. 


Huer  Duz  the  Spring   Water  Cum  from  ?     247 

I  take  it  tu  be  seteld  that  huile  heat  increses  doun- 
ward  in  erth  cold  increses  dounward  in  water.  The 
bed  under  the  deep  se  is  very  cold  on  the  upper  sur- 
face; hence  it  ma  be  much  thiker  and  mor  solid  than 
erth  at  a  like  distance  belo  shor  level.  The  inner 
mas,  then,  must  make  an  indirect  attak  upon  the 
water  bed. 

A  spring  is  found  on  a  small  iland  in  the  ocean. 
The  fresh  water  did  not  fall  on  the  iland  from  the 
clouds,  but  it  is  there,  in  the  ground  (or  rok)  and  is 
constantly  floing,  and  must  cum  from  sum  constant 
sorce.  The  common  theory  is  that  it  is  conducted 
thru  chance  conduits  from  hyer  ground,  huatever  the 
distance  tu  the  nerest  ground  hi  enuf  abuv  the  ocean 
level  to  afford  the  pressur.  Suppoz  the  distance  only 
50  miles.  There  wud  hav  to  be  a  chanel  with  varying 
levels,  yet  with  walls  strong  enuf  to  rezist  pressur 
and  erozion.  The  sorce,  tu,  the  body  ov  water  on  the 
hy  ground,  must  hav  a  constant  and  even  supply  ov 
rain  water.  Put  in  its  best  lite,  the  theory  is  lame. 

Meny  mountains  hav  suampy  benches  to  their  sum- 
mits, huile  in  their  vallys  there  ar  no  springs  and  it 
is  often  difficult  tu  get  water  by  diging.  Huy  du  not 
the  underground  streams  brake  out  in  the  lo  places? 
Hui  du  tha  carry  their  water  tu  the  hi  places,  huether 
these  hy  places  ar  stony  or  sandy — solid  rok  or  mixt 
soils?  At  Galveston  there  is  no  fresh  water.  The 
iland  is  small,  lo,  sandy.  A  like  iland  on  the  western 
coast  ov  Florida  has  fresh  water,  huich  rises  evryhuer 
in  the  sand,  and  almost  to  the  surface.  If  this  fresh 
water  came  from  the  nerest  hy  ground,  hundreds  ov 


248  Notfs. 

miles  awa  in  Jorjy,  and  was  freed  at  a  grat  enuf  depth 
tu  allou  ov  nitration  thru  the  sand  and  for  jeneral  dis- 
tribution, wil  enybody  sa  that  the  salt  water,  huich  is 
hevier,  wud  not  force  itself  intu  the  sand  and  mix  with 
the  fresh? 

Huer  and  huat  is  the  sorce  ov  supply  ov  the  water 
in  perennial  springs  and  constant  wels?  Sum  springs 
and  sum  wels  ar  affected  by  rain  and  drout,  but  good 
ones  ar  not.  In  Alabama  I  hav  seen  springs  huich 
flode  a  uniform  stream  the  year  around.  The  water 
is  cold  and  has  nun  ov  the  peculiaritys  ov  rain  water 
or  ov  the  water  in  ponds  or  streams.  There  is  no 
such  water  enyhuer  except  in  the  springs. 

Rain  is  the  result  ov  condensation  in  the  atmosfere. 
This  condensation  occurs  huen  hot  and  cold  air,  or  tu 
currents  ov  very  different  degrees  of  temperatur,  cum 
together.  As  heat  and  cold  abuv  the  ground  assist  in 
condensing  the  gases  intu  water,  huy  ma  tha  not  du  the 
same  work  in  the  ground?  If  electricity  is  necessary, 
is  it  not  also  in  the  erth? 

A  tunnel  is  run  thru  a  hil  at  its  base.  The  soil  is 
ful  ov  water,  tho  there  is  no  hyer  ground  and  no 
stream  ner.  There  ma  or  ma  not  be  springs  in  this 
hil,  yet  the  hil  is  saturated  with  water  except  at  the 
surface,  huich  is  usually  dry,  becaus  ov  evaporation. 
Trees  gro  mor  thriftily  on  its  sides  than  in  the  vally, 
becaus  there  is  always  plenty  ov  water  for  the  roots 
and  never  tu  much:  tha  ar  not  dround  or  dry  baikt. 

The  setlers  in  Nebraska  had  meny  lessons  in  the 
habits  ov  underground  water.  Thoz  hu  seteld  on  the 
lo  lands  had  grate  difficulty  in  getting  water  at  eny 


Huer  Duz  the  Spring  Water  Cum  from  ?     249 

depth,  huile  thoz  hu  took  the  hi  ground  found  plenty 
ov  good  water.  In  the  city  ov  Victoria,  B.  C.,  I  sau 
a  spring  on  a  hil,  almost  at  the  hyest  part,  and  evry- 
huer  on  the  hil  there  is  plenty  ov  good  water  in  the 
rok  a  fu  feet  from  the  surface,  huile  in  the  vally  there 
is  no  water,  altho  it  is  dround  during  the  rany  sezon. 
Hy  up  in  the  Huite  Mountains,  in  Nu  Hampshir,  is  a 
lake  with  no  possible  sorce  ov  supply  ov  rain  water 
from  hyer  ground.  Lake  Cur  d'Allain,  in  Idaho,  is  a 
like  instance.  Lake  Titicaca,  in  Peru,  is  12,850  feet 
abuv  se  level,  and  is  the  sorce  ov  the  Desaguadero 
River.  Ther  ar  sum  mountain  peaks  around  it,  but  it 
wud  be  idle  to  sa  that  tha  wud  turn  all  the  water  from 
their  melting  sno  into  this  basin,  or  that  if  tha  did  this 
wud  account  for  the  water  huich  leavs  the  lake.  A 
lake  in  Monte  Rotondo,  in  Corsica,  9,000  feet  abuv  se 
level,  is  the  sorce  ov  a  stream.  The  hyest  lake  on  the 
Erth  is  Sir-i-kol,  in  Asia.  It  is  15,600  feet  (thre  miles) 
abuv  se  level,  yet  is  the  sorce  ov  the  Amoo  River.  In 

the  jeografys  we  read:    'The River  rises  in  the 

Mountains,  flows  through and  empties 

into  the sea.'     This  is  the  rule.     The  lakes  ar 

in  the  hy  places.     The  springs  ar  there  also. 

Nor  is  it  a  nu  theory  that  these  lake  beds  ar  extinct 
craters;  that  once  the  lava  from  the  internal  mas  flode 
out  ov  them.  Wud  lava  and  water  flo  from  the  same 
sorce?  The  site  ov  such  a  lake  ma  hav  bin,  and  likely 
was,  lo  ground,  if  not  water  bed,  and  sufferd  a  fissur 
huich  permited  an  inflo  ov  water,  and  the  resulting 
explosion  causd  the  upheval  ov  mountains.  In  such 
event  the  lava  wud  continu  to  flo  out  thru  evry  crevis. 


250 


Notes. 


In  time  the  volcanic  matter  wud  harden  betueen  the 
molten  matter  and  the  sorce  ov  the  water,  and  the  ex- 
plosions and  the  flo  ov  lava  wud  ceas,  but  the  same 
causes  wud  continu  to  produce  water,  and,  the  least 
resistance  being  upward,  it  wud  find  an  outlet  thru 
the  crater  at  the  top. 

Ar  the  Grate  Lakes  supplyd  by  rain  or  by  springs  ? 
The  evaporation  ov  their  waters  is  enormus,  there  ar 
no  big  streams  to  supply  them,  the  grate  River  Saint 
Laurence  draus  its  supply  from  them,  tha  ar  from  623 
to  234  feet  abuv  otion  level,  yet  tha  sho  almost  an 
even  volum  ov  water  yer  in  and  yer  out.  The  Caspian 
Se — reseeving  the  waters  ov  the  Volga,  the  Ural,  the 
Kuma,  the  Kur  and  several  uther  streams — has  no 
outlet;  its  waters  evaporate.  So  ov  Lake  Aral.  Ther 
ar  no  springs  fed  by  subterranean  condensation,  and 
the  atmosfere  takes  mor  water  than  it  givs. 

Insted  ov  the  rain  water  sinking  into  the  erth  and 
rising  as  pure  spring  water,  it  seems  to  me  that  the 
most  prolific  sorce  ov  the  Erth's  supply  ov  water  is 
underground;  that  mor  water  rises  out  ov  the  ground 
than  sinks  into  it,  as  water.  Evaporation  is  mostly 
abuv  ground,  but  the  evidence  points  to  underground 
condensation. 

So  far  am  I  from  aksepting  the  statement  in  text- 
boox  and  syentific  works  that  'springs  du  not  issu 
from  tops  ov  mountains,  but  from  slopes  and  vallys, 
most  freqently  the  latter,'  that  I  wud  rather  ov  the  tu 
take  the  vu  that  springs  issu  from  eminences — hils, 
mountains — and  not  from  vallys.  It  seems  to  me,  tu, 
that  here  is  the  wa  to  account  for  meny  eminences. 


Huer  Duz  the  Spring   Water  Cum  from  ?     251 

A  protracted  condensation  in  the  erth  cauzes  a  con- 
stant suply  ov  water,  huich  must  find  an  outlet.  This 
water  brings  up  much  matter,  and  in  time  a  hil  is  bilt 
up,  the  matter  poring  out  on  the  loer  side  until  it  be- 
cums  the  hyer  side,  this  proces  continuing  until  a  wel 
rounded  hil  is  the  result.  The  hil  itself  ma  so  chanj 
the  conditions  that  condensation  belo  the  former  level 
ceases,  the  spring  dies,  the  evidence  ov  it  disappears, 
and  the  clu  to  the  cauz  ov  the  elevation  is  lost. 

If  water  is  produst  in  the  erth  by  condensation,  duz 
that  account  for  the  pressur  necesary  to  force  it  up 
to  the  surfas?  Wil  water  rise  hyer  than  its  sorce? 
Pressure  causes  water  to  rise.  If  a  pot  is  fild  with 
water  and  plaist  over  a  fire  the  water  runs  over  befor  it 
boils.  If  a  tin  can  is  fild  with  water  and  seald  up  and 
frozen  the  water  bursts  the  can  as  soon  as  it  begins  to 
freez.  Fil  the  pot  with  ice-cold  water  and  place  it  in 
a  warm  room  and  water  wil  form  on  the  outside  ov  the 
vessel.  This  water  is  not  draun  from  the  inside,  but 
cums  from  the  atmosfere.  There  is  an  increas  in  the 
amount  ov  water.  Dry  sand  pild  in  a  dry  place  and  in 
a  dry  atmosfer  wil  attract  moistur,  unles  an  even  tem- 
peratur  is  preservd.  The  temperatur  chanjes  furst, 
and  the  moistening  occurs  huile  the  sand  is  aqiring 
the  hyer  or  loer  temperatur.  A  cold  ground  and  a 
warm  atmosfer  produce  a  fog,  huich  is  moistur. 

Thez  fenomena  ar  cauzd  bi  the  same  kemical  forces 
huich  produce  the  water  in  the  erth  and  send  it  to  the 
surfas.  The  erth  wil  hold  a  certain  amount  ov  water, 
and  no  mor,  but  condensation  goes  on.  The  water 
can  not  go  doun,  becaus  ov  heat  and  pressur.  It  can 


252  Notes. 

not  go  aside,  becaus  ov  pressur.  There  is  no  way  ov 
escape  but  upward.  Artesian  wels  strike  the  sorce, 
a  constant  condensation,  and  the  flo  is  strong  becaus 
the  pipes  afford  an  outlet  without  obstruction.  In 
such  cases  the  water  rises  abuv  its  sorce. 

I  think  that  in  time  all  the  atoms  forming  the  matter 
ov  our  globe  pas  from  the  inner  to  the  outer  and  from 
the  outer  to  the  inner  mas ;  that  all  noan  fenomena  ar 
only  comparativly  nu  or  old  and  wil  disappear,  to  be 
sukseded  bi  nu  yet  similar  fenomena,  and  that  eny 
workable  theory  is  valuable. 

Ar  there  springs  in  the  ocean  ?  In  shallo  water, 
huer  the  bed  is  composit,  there  probably  ar,  but  in 
very  deep  water,  huer  the  bed  is  solid  or  very  com- 
pact, I  think  not.  Huer  the  water  is  very  deep  the 
pressur  is  so  grate  that  there  is  no  place  for  conden- 
sation within  the  bed.  A  brik  hous  has  solid  walls 
thre  feet  thik.  Frost  makes  the  hous  damp.  Anuther 
hous  has  walls  tu  feet  thik,  but  not  solid;  there  is  an 
open  space  betueen  the  outer  and  inner  layers.  The 
frost  cums  thru  the  outer  wall,  but  can  not  cros  even 
a  small  space  and  attak  the  inner  wall.  A  vessel  con- 
structed for  use  in  the  Arctic  seas  must  not  hav  an 
iron  rod  from  the  outside  to  the  inside.  Such  a  con- 
ductor wil  bring  the  frost  into  the  inmost  room,  if  it  is 
warm,  and  ice  wil  continually  form  on  the  inside  end 
ov  the  rod.  So  in  the  water  bed.  There  is  intense 
heat  belo  and  the  water  abuv  is  intensly  cold,  but  the 
heat  and  the  cold  hav  no  intermediat  swetting  place. 
The  intervening  solid  matter  is  like  a  pane  ov  glas 
betueen  a  warm  room  and  the  frezing  air  outside. 


Huer  Duz  the  Spring   Water   Cum  from  ?     253 

The  glas  ma  swet  on  its  surfas,  but  there  wil  not  be 
eny  sweting  inside  ov  it. 

Then  hou  ma  the  deep  ocean  bed  be  broken  up  ? 
Natur  wil  find  a  wa  and  brak  the  furmest  ocean  bed. 
The  iland  ov  Saint  Helena  is  an  instance.  Here  is  a 
small  iland,  1,800  miles  from  the  coast  ov  Brazil  and 
1,200  miles  from  the  coast  ov  Africa.  The  nerest  land 
is  Assension  Iland,  also  small  (6  by  8  miles),  is  ov 
volcanic  orijin,  and  is  wel  supplyd  with  fresh  water. 
The  tu  ilands  ar  680  miles  apart.  Helena  rises  ab- 
ruptly out  ov  very  deep  water,  is  almost  solid  rok,  yet 
has  a  spring  ov  grate  volum  hy  up  in  the  rok. 

Was  the  eruption  huich  cast  up  this  iland  causd  by 
flaus  or  cavitys  in  the  water  bed,  sum  defect  huich 
permitted  condensation  in  the  solid  matter  betueen 
the  cold  water  abuv  and  the  heat  belo  ?  To  me  this 
appears  very  probable.  The  condensation  wud  con- 
tinu.  Ther  was  probably  an  explosion  huich  cast  up 
the  roky  bed  hy  abuv  the  salt  water,  but,  the  water 
from  the  condensation  nou  having  an  outlet,  the  iland 
has  a  fair  chance  for  qiet.  Can  this  spring  water  be 
accounted  for  in  eny  uther  manner  ?  There  ar  thou- 
sands ov  uther  little  ilands  with  good  springs. 

This  article  was  ritten  in  1900  and  submitted  tu  tu  syentific  pub- 
lications and  several  daly  nuespapers,  and  in  each  case  the  editor 
returnd  it  with  regret,  etc.  It  was  not  consonant  with  current 
syentific  thaut  and  frazeology.  I  had  not  then  thaut  ov  this  book, 
but  put  awa  my  'Springs'  for  a  mor  favorable  occasion;  it  mite 
be  til  after  sumbody  else's  effort  had  met  with  better  favor  and 
bin  publisht.  With  me  it  was  orijinal.  I  never  red  or  herd  ov 
underground  condfcnsation,  and  huen  the  idea  occurd  tu  me  it  was 
as  a  necessary  part  ov  my  theory  ov  the  eternity  ov  the  Erth. 


254  Notes. 


HUER   THE    WURLD    IS    DRIFTING. 

The  West  has  ever  bin  the  hope  ov  man. 

Huence  came  the  Aryan  race  no  one  can  tel, 

Nor  yet  huence  came  the  Semite  or  the  Skyth. 

We  no  that  all  we  no  is  but  the  end, 

As  'twer,  without  a  furst  or  middle  part, 

And  that  the  story  ov  vicissitudes 

Has  not  bin  kept  becaus  tu  old  and  long. 

O  man,  dost  no  huy  thou  must  ever  muv 
And  graft  thy  race  upon  a  western  stok  ? 
Thou  mayst  not  no,  yet  dost  oba  the  wil 
Ov  Providens,  as  in  nu  lands  thou  gainst 
A  heritaj  thou  cudst  not  hav  at  home, 
Huer  lau  and  custom  set  their  rijid  bounds 
And  fu  control  the  roads  tu  welth  and  fame. 

THE  end  ov  the  nineteenth  century  was  the  occa- 
sion ov  a  jeneral  overhauling  ov  history  and  the  laing 
out  ov  that  ov  the  futur.  Scarsly  was  this  dun  huen 
the  deth  ov  Qeen  Victoria  (January  22,  1901)  set  the 
wurld  at  the  task  again.  The  life  and  times  ov  the 
qeen  wer  almost  coterminus  with  the  century,  since 
the  erly  part  not  within  her  history  bi  actual  date  was 
there  by  necessary  relation  as  an  introduction.  All 
this  retrospect  was  plesant  reading  becaus  the  accom- 
plishments ov  the  wurld  and  ov  the  English-speaking 
peples  in  particular  hav  bin  unmistakably  in  the  line 
ov  progression. 

I  am  not  an  optimist,  nor  am  I  a  pessimist.  It  is 
not  my  part  tu  lite  the  wurld  with  borrod  sunshine, 
nor  tu  cast  over  it  the  shado  ov  despair.  There  ar 
times  huen  peple  ma  so  need  encurajment  that  the 


Huer  the    Wurld  Is  Drifting. 

soothsaer  is  justifiable  in  shutting  his  ize  to  the  dark 
picturs  and  turning  all  his  lite  on  the  briter  ones;  and 
there  ar  times  huen  humanity  is  so  inflated  with  pride 
and  conseet  that  the  confurmd  pesimist  is  the  safest 
teecher.  Ov  the  tu  the  pesimist  is  mor  usually  safe, 
if  he  is  onest. 

Befor  standing  up  to  luk  at  this  qestion  I  shud  hav 
a  place  to  stand  on.  Irving  thaut  that  befor  he  cud 
rite  the  history  ov  Nu  York  he  must  sho  that  ther  was 
a  place  tu  be  calld  Nu  York.  Furst  he  tryd  to  find  a 
basis  for  the  beleef  that  there  was  an  erth;  for  if  ther 
was  not  an  erth  hou  cud  ther  be  a  place  on  the  Erth  ? 
He  ransakt  evry  literary  storhous,  old  and  nu,  for  evi- 
dence that  the  Erth  had  a  begining,  hence  cud  be.  He 
had  tu  giv  up  and  be  satisfyd  with  the  tradition  that  the 
Erth  is  here,  and  has  bin  for  a  long  time.  He  tryd  to 
find  an  orijin  for  the  'aborijinaP  Americans,  and  had 
to  giv  that  up  also.  Tha  wer  here :  he  hopt  nobody 
wud  deny  that.  He  traste  bak  his  oan  ancestry,  but 
cud  not  find  even  tradition  ov  the  furst  Aryans.  He 
therfor  rote  history  and  made  literatur  without  wating 
for  evidence  that  ther  was  a  planet  suppozd  to  be  the 
Erth.  Nuthing  mor  is  noan  to-da.  In  spite  ov  syence 

No  starting  point  has  yet  bin  found 

For  eny  life  the  i  descrize. 
The  mollusk  and  the  moss  abound 

Tu  sho  that  species  can  not  rize. 

I  hav  not  seen  evrything  that  wud  bair  upon  the  sub- 
ject ov  the  beginnings  or  orijins:  that  is  not  possible 
tu  eny  individual.  I  hav  dun  huat  uthers  du :  I  hav 
considerd  huat  has  cum  my  wa  and  jujd  that  the  rest 


256  Notes. 

is  ov  the  same  karacter.  Mi  conclusions  ar  not  final: 
man  reaches  no  final  conclusions. 

All  ov  the  present  land  surfas  ov  the  Erth  has  bin 
ocean  bed,  and  all  ov  the  present  ocean  bed  has  bin 
land,  and  reversions  wil  occur  in  the  futur  as  tha  hav 
occurd  in  the  past.  All  parts  ov  the  surfas  hav  bin  in 
the  Arctic  and  the  Antarctic  rejons  and  hav  in  passing 
crost  the  eqator.  North  America  has  recently  cum 
from  the  Arctic  rejon,  huile  Siberia  has  gon  from  the 
torrid  tu  the  frijid  zone.  Ejypt  shoz  least  sines  ov 
chanj.  Hence  I  assume  that  in  Ejypt  is  one  ov  the 
poles  ov  this  motion  ov  the  Erth. 

God  or  natur — Providence,  not  blind,  but  seing  all, 
intelijent,  ever  bizy — wil  not  tolerate  a  state  ov  rest. 
As  one  family  rises  in  the  wurld,  flurishes  and  decays 
and  leavs  no  noan  lineal  desendant,  so  a  peple  or  a 
race  rises,  flurishes  and  passes  awa.  Familys  and 
races  mix  and  chanj,  but  karacteristics  remain. 

The  story  ov  the  Hand  ov  Atlantis  is  not  a  myth. 
Ther  hav  bin  meny  chanjes  in  the  land  and  water  sur- 
faces since  Atlantians  visited  the  'aborijinal'  Greeks 
and  Ejyptians  and  admird  the  bilders  ov  the  Grate 
Pyramid.  Arabia  and  China  hav  history  runing  very 
far  into  antiqity,  and  huer  history  leavs  off  tradition 
and  'remains'  take  up  the  story  and  carry  us  into  labi- 
rinths  ov  probability  and  improbability.  If  Ejypt  is 
the  place  ov  one  ov  the  poles  ov  that  slo  or  seldom 
recurring  motion  huich  takes  all  parts  ov  the  Erth  tu 
the  Arctic  and  Antarctic  rejons — or  if  it  has  bin  during 
the  'recent'  past — we  hav  no  caus  for  wunder  that  old 
time  marks  ar  found  there.  It  wil  be  seen  also  that 


Huer  the    Wurld  Is  Drifting.  257 

Arabia  wud  not  chanj  grately.  China  wud  hav  the 
gratest  chanj,  but  becaus  she  has  bin  longest  out  ov 
the  frozen  rejons  she  has  had  the  most  continuus  de- 
velopment, after  Ejypt.  For  the  same  rezon  North 
America  is  nu  and  not  possest  ov  such  history  and 
remains  as  ar  found  in  Central  and  South  America. 

As  far  bak  as  history  and  tradition  go  the  muvment 
ov  the  peples  ov  the  Erth  has  bin  westward,  and  I 
assume  that  it  has  always  bin  thus.  In  the  frunt  ov 
the  leading  peple  is  the  nu-forming  peple,  groing  by 
migration  from  the  east,  from  the  elements  ov  skil 
and  nollej  possest  bi  all  its  eastern  predesessors,  and 
wating  for  the  time  huen  it  shal  take  its  turn  and  be 
the  leading  peple  or  race  for  a  sezon.  Babylonia  was 
once  the  garden  spot  ov  the  Erth.  Nou  it  is  a  sandy 
waste.  Such  a  fizical  chanj  has  not  occurd  in  Greece, 
yet  the  Grecians  lost  the  lead,  their  civilization  de- 
cayd,  and  their  race  is  lost. 

Anuther  item  is  the  differences  in  climate  and  the 
effects  ov  climate  upon  the  races.  I  am  ov  those  hu 
hold  that  culor  and  meny  uther  karacteristics  ov  the 
races  ar  the  effects  ov  climat.  The  Eskimo  ar  not 
the  fairest  peple:  tho  far  north,  tha  ar  tu  much  housd, 
hav  tu  little  fre  air  and  sunshine,  hence  ar  sallo.  The 
darkest  peple  ar  ner  the  eqator. 

The  Grate  Pyramid  was  bilt  in  prehistoric  time. 
There  is  not  a  word  ov  history  concerning  its  bilders. 
Tha  nu  mor  ov  astronomy,  jeometry,  aljebra,  jeografy, 
enjineering,  arkitectur  and  the  arts  than  the  world 
noes  to-da.  There  must  be  grate  progres  befor  it  wil 
be  possible  to  accomplish  such  a  task  and  conva  tu  a 


258  Notes. 

jeneration  far  in  the  futur  the  attainments  ov  the  pres- 
ent. The  Pyramid  contains  all  this  nollej  without  a 
word  or  a  karacter  that  ma  be  translated.  Only  the 
civil  enjineer  and  the  astronomer  can  read  its  records 
and  calculations.  The  skolar  reads  nuthing.  The  big 
and  little  stones  ar  so  alternated  in  the  laers,  yet  ar  so 
precise  and  nicely  laid,  that  the  attention  ov  enjineers 
was  atracted  to  them,  and  huen  mezurments  wer  made 
it  was  found  that  all  ov  them  had  astronomic  or  jeo- 
metric  significance.  Hence  the  nollej  can  be  trans- 
lated into  eny  tung  and  without  a  nollej  ov  the  speech 
ov  the  bilders.  I  hav  plaist  the  date  ov  the  Pyramid 
at  28,000  B.  C.  or  erlier,  not  later.  Sa  30,000  yers  ago. 

Noing,  then,  that  the  wurld  was  in  prehistoric  time 
braut  to  a  very  hi  state  intellectually,  and  that  dejen- 
eration  follod;  that  ther  was  a  Stone  Aj  during  huich 
the  nollej  ov  metals  and  letters  was  lost  and  peple 
livd  as  animals,  we  shud  not  be  so  optimistic  as  to 
beleev  that  man  can  not  dejenerate,  that  nollej  is  not 
lost,  that  advansment  is  held  regardless  ov  the  corse 
pursud  bi  men  and  nations.  Noing,  tu,  that  dejener- 
ate races  ma  rise  abuv  their  lo  level,  that  wel  developt 
races  ma  rise  hyer  yet,  that  ther  is  no  limit  to  devel- 
opment, we  shud  not  heed  the  pesimist  hu  sees  dejen- 
eration  in  evry  chanj. 

Compare  the  history  ov  China  with  that  ov  Babylo- 
nia. China  in  historic  time  has  chanjd  little,  huile 
Babylonia  was  possest  bi  sevral  distinct  races  on  their 
slo  march  tu  the  West,  and  is  nou  almost  deserted. 
Skythians  came  from  the  northeast  and  Shemites  and 
Aryans  from  the  southeast.  Greece  was  on  the  rout, 


Huer  the    Wurld  Is  Drifting.  259 

and  then  Italy.  From  erlyest  noan  times  there  wer 
Skythian  invasions  in  western  Asia.  These  northern 
peples,  becuming  tu  numerus  for  their  resorces,  got 
all  things  redy  and  muvd  southward  under  a  leader  hu 
was  chosen  bi  the  cheefs  or  was  strong  enuf  in  his  oan 
personality  to  command  obedience.  Tha  destroyd, 
conkerd  or  disperst  the  peples  in  their  wa.  The  force 
spent,  peples  pikt  up  and  developt  again,  but  with 
nu  ideals  and  customs.  These  invasions  occurd  as 
often  as  once  in  200  yers,  and  wer  never  500  yers 
apart.  The  last  notable  invasion  in  western  Asia  was 
by  the  Seljuks,  hu  became  noan  as  Seljukian  Turks. 
Tha  committed  the  outrajes  huich  provokt  the  Cru- 
sades. Compard  with  their  Skythian  predesessors, 
tha  wer  very  dejenerate. 

Evry  reader  ov  history  noes  ov  the  Skythian  inva- 
sions in  Urop,  furst  from  northwestern  Asia  and  later 
from  the  north  ov  Urop.  Almost  evry  peple  traces 
bak  to  Skythic  ancestors  in  historic  time. 

Hu  ar  Skythians?  Huer  is  the  Skythian  boundary? 
Hou  far  north  ma  a  peple  be  and  not  be  Skyths?  The 
line  chanjes.  In  antient  historic  time  the  line  was  not 
far  north.  Macedonia  and  Thrace  wer  Skythic.  So 
was  Jermany.  Huen  there  was  no  protection  against 
cold  the  peple  did  not  relish  frost,  and  a  nomadic  life 
did  not  encuraj  invention  and  impruvment.  With  in- 
ventions— warm  textile  clothing,  cumfortable  houses, 
winter  food,  etc. — the  line  has  bin  pusht  further  north. 

The  Dutch  ar  tu  be  credited  with  leading  the  mod- 
ern wurld  intu  the  nu  wa.  Tha  wer  an  industrial  and 
trading  peple.  Not  having  land  for  cairless  farming, 


260  Notes. 

tha  became  the  gardeners  ov  Urop.  Potatos,  cabbaj, 
carrots,  turnips — nerly  all  the  winter  vejetables  huich 
we  cud  not  spare — wer  developt  and  givn  tu  the  wurld 
bi  the  Dutch.  With  these  winter  foods  and  the  fabrics 
ov  Holland  and  the  Hanseatic  citys  the  northerners 
took  sum  plezur  in  life,  became  mor  seteld,  and  the 
suthern  line  ov  Skythia  was  muvd  north  ov  Jermany. 

Huile  the  northern  lands  wer  being  reclaimd  the 
natural  muvment  ov  man  tu  the  West  was  not  delayd, 
but  rather  akselerated.  The  West  has  bin  developt 
faster  and  the  East  has  dropt  behind  correspondingly. 
The  Italian  city  republics  wer  furst  in  industry  and 
commerce.  Portugal  foiled.  Spain  did  little  wit- 
tingly but  much  unwittingly  in  the  discuvery  and  set- 
tlement ov  America.  Looking  for  immediate  welth 
and  dominion,  she  led  the  wa  and  uthers  follod  and 
laid  the  foundation  for  a  grand  civilization  on  the  nu 
Western  Continent.  Holland  did  mor  than  all  the 
uthers  from  the  sixteenth  tu  the  ateenth  century,  and 
then  the  English-speaking  peples  took  the  lead  and 
hav  carryd  the  wurld  onward  at  a  pace  not  noan  befor 
in  historic  time. 

Gunpouder  has  bin  a  notable  civilizer.  No  uther 
single  invention  has  dun  mor  good. 

For  a  hundred  yers  or  mor  England  has  bin  the  con- 
troling  nation.  It  was  not  inherent  enerjy  in  her  soil 
that  gave  the  impulse.  It  was  jeografic  position;  the 
wave  ov  enerjy  reacht  her.  It  had  bin  with  continen- 
tal Urop ;  had  past  over  from  Greece  thru  Rome  tu  the 
British  Channel.  England  mite  hav  imitated  France: 
mite  hav  shut  herself  up  at  home  and  sed  '  England 


Huer  the  Wurld  Is  Drifting.  261 

for  Englishmen':  but  she  didn't.  Profits  from  com- 
merce and  navigation  and  the  industrys  huich  tha  nat- 
urally developt  at  home  gave  the  means  tu  eqip  armys 
and  navys,  yet,  being  a  commercial  nation,  she  found 
it  better,  as  far  as  possible,  tu  maintain  peace  at  home 
and  abrod.  Yet  if  she  had  bin  unwilling  tu  open  mar- 
kets in  Asia  and  Africa  nor  she  nor  uther  industrial 
peples  wud  hav  had  much  groth.  England  had  tu 
chuz  betueen  a  narro  and  a  brod  policy,  and  the  wurld 
shud  be  thankful  that  she  choz  the  brod. 

Huer  is  the  wurld  drifting  at  the  beginning  ov  the 
tuentieth  century?  England  is  failing,  the  United 
States  is  alredy  the  furst  pouer,  not  counting  Skythia, 
huich  is  always  the  aljebraic  x,  and  the  United  States 
has  for  a  haf  century  follod  the  policys  huich  made  Rome 
and  Spain  glorius.  It  has  left  the  foundation  ov  the 
fothers,  the  policys  huich  made  for  peace  at  home  and 
respect  abrod.  Hou  wil  the  United  States,  with  the 
hyest  tax  on  foren  commerce  ever  noan,  persuade  the 
narro  and  jelus  peples  tu  keep  their  ports  open  tu  in- 
ternational trade,  huich  is  the  life  ov  civilization?  If 
I  nu  huat  is  tu  be  the  policy  ov  the  United  States  for 
fifty  yers  I  cud,  barring  the  Skyths,  tel  hou  the  wurld 
wil  drift.  But  the  Skyths  ma  not  be  bard. 

Never  befor  in  historic  time  has  a  united  Skythic 
pouer  extended  from  the  Pacific  tu  the  Atlantic  acros 
Asia  and  Urop.  The  Russians  hav  once  exerted  their 
strength  tu  brak  intu  the  lands  south  ov  them  in  Urop. 
Tha  hav  bin  preparing  ever  since  for  anuther  trial.  It 
ma  cum  eny  da,  and  most  unexpectedly,  enyhuer  on 
the  line  in  Urop  or  Asia.  Huen  it  cums  the  Ameri- 


262  Notes. 

cans  wil  luse  their  trade.  Tha  hav  almost  no  ships; 
tarif  and  navigation  laus  prohibit  bilding  and  bying; 
ther  ar  fu  American  seamen  except  on  sailing  vessels 
and  war  vessels;  wurst  ov  all,  ther  is  no  apparent  dis- 
position tu  allou  American  shipbilding  tu  resume. 

But  Yankees  wil  fite  in  Asia.  There  Uropeans  and 
Americans  must  meet  and  fite  over  the  contests  ov  the 
ajes  gon — historic  and  prehistoric,  without  a  noan  or 
imajinable  place  ov  begining.  Huen  Oceanica  was  a 
continent,  huen  the  present  North  America  was  ocean 
bed,  huen  Siberia  was  in  the  tropics,  the  same  fear 
and  rezon  for  fear  ov  the  Skythic  races  was  in  the 
minds  ov  the  peple  hu  livd  in  the  temperat  zones. 

Taxes  and  uther  hinderances  tu  international  ex- 
chanjes  caus  the  Skythic  eruptions  and  almost  all  the 
uther  wars,  tho  uther  pretexts  ar  assined. 

This  was  ritten  in  February,  1901,  after  the  prelude  and  befor 
I  had  thaut  ov  riling  the  story  ov  Boken.  I  rote  it  merely  tu  pre- 
serv  the  thauts  huich  the  current  opinion  braut  tu  mi  mind.  I  did 
not  offer  it  for  publication.  Huy  shud  I  ?  Thousands  ov  riters 
wer  using  optimistic  pens,  and  eny thing  normal  wud  at  once  hav 
bin  rejected  as  pesimistic.  It  is  not  yeasty.  It  wil  keep. 

SILVER  AND    GOLD. 

MENY  articles  hav  bin  uzd  for  muny  at  times  and  bi 
peple  in  different  stajes  betueen  civilization  and  bar- 
barism, but  huen  one  speaks  ov  civilizd  muny,  or  the 
muny  ov  civilizd  peples,  he  means — or  shud  mean — 
silver  and  gold  :  silver  furst,  becaus  it  is  a  necessity, 
and  gold  second,  becaus  it  is  a  convenience. 

If  eny  one  douts  this,  let  him  imajin  the  retail  trade 


Silver  and  Gold.  26^ 

ov  his  toun  carryd  on  with  sum  uther  kind  ov  muny, 
legal  or  not  legal.  I  du  not  hav  tu  imajin  it:  I  hav 
bin  thru  a  pla-muny  period.  I  hav  seen  a  peple  hail 
the  guvernment's  printed  paper  with  patriotic  delite, 
and  I  remember  hou  thoz  butifully  engravd  bils  began 
to  luz  their  purchasing  pouer;  hou  the  dimes  became 
wurthles;  then  the  qarters;  then  the  haf-dollar  pic- 
tures; then  the  big  dollar  slips  wud  scarsly  by  the 
chepest  article  that  was  sold.  In  South  America  one 
cud  find  a  peple  nou  having  this  experience.  France 
had  it.  Old  Sparta  had  it  huen  Lukourgos  did  awa 
the  muny  metals  and  made  iron  'dollars.'  Florence 
decayd  huen  the  Medici  debaste  the  florin.  Qeen 
Elizabeth  never  did  a  mor  gratius  act  than  huen  she 
calld  in  the  lite-wate  coins  and  recast  them  into  coins 
ov  ful  wate.  Huerever  a  peple  hav  alloud  a  fu  men, 
or  the  guvernment  itself,  tu  'make  muny'  there  has  bin 
a  train  ov  evils  needing  only  a  slite  chek  to  produce 
stagnation.  But  huer  all  the  'surculating  medium'  is 
muny,  trade  and  industry  can  stand  a  shok. 

Muny  is  a  coin  ov  huich  the  valu  is  establisht  and  reg- 
ulated by  the  commertial  wurld,  and  not  by  enactment. 
The  guvernment  ma  bi  refusing  coinaj  caus  a  disturb- 
ance in  valuz;  it  ma  arbitrarily  and  for  a  time  chanj 
the  ratio  betueen  the  metals ;  but  huen  the  pla  muny 
fails,  as  it  must,  one  ov  tu  things  wil  happen:  there 
wil  be  a  return  tu  the  use  ov  real  muny  or  there  wil 
be  stagnation  in  trade  and  industry.  Return  to  real 
muny  means  hardship  to  thoz  hu  o  muny,  but  eny 
uther  corse  means  hardship  for  nine-tenths  ov  the 
peple  and  no  hope  ov  better  times. 


264  Notts. 

The  lejend  on  the  silver  coin  is  short  and  emfatic : 

UNITED    STATES    OF    AMERICA      *  ONE    DOLLAR  *         There 

is  no  need  ov  anuther  wurd,  anuther  leter  or  sine;  and 
huile  the  mint  was  open  tu  its  coinaj  on  presentation 
ov  the  bullion  it  needed  no  help  tu  maintain  its  valu. 
Bankers  hu  wanted  tu  put  out  their  paper  found  it  in 
their  wa,  and  their  frends  in  Washington  stopt  silver 
coinaj.  Gold  wud  hav  sufferd  likewise,  but  it  was  not 
considerd  politic  tu  attak  both  at  one  time.  The  evi- 
dent intention  is  tu  du  awa  the  muny  and  leav  the 
feeld  tu  the  bankers,  hu  ar  not  even  willing  to  let  the 
guvernment  issu  greenbax.  Let  us  consider  this.  I 
need  muny.  There  ar  tu  ways  ov  geting  it:  I  ma  ern 
it,  meanhuile  leting  mi  projects  stand  stil,  or  I  ma  by 
giving  ample  security  borro  it.  I  go  tu  a  banker  and 
giv  the  security  and  he  lends  me  his  notes,  huich  cost 
him  nuthing.  I  uz  the  notes  in  biznes  or  speculation. 
Tha  pass  intu  the  hands  ov  meny  persons  and  ar  soon 
scatterd  thru  the  community.  Nou  hou  du  matters 
stand  ?  Mi  notes  cum  du  and  the  banker  collects  the 
principal  and  the  uzury  from  me,  if  he  did  not  take  the 
uzury  from  the  principal  at  the  time  ov  the  loan.  The 
notes  huich  cost  him  nuthing  ar  stil  out.  A  part  ov 
them  ma  never  be  presented  for  redemption:  ma  be 
lost  or  destroyd.  If  yu  hav  not  noan  befor,  yu  no  nou 
huy  sum  bankers  ar  impatient  tu  'make  and  furnish 
the  surculating  medium,'  and  huy  tha  du  not  like  the 
coin. 

Huen  bankers  wer  alloud  tu  issu  notes  sum  ov  them 
did  not  du  so.  Thoz  hu  did  not  wer  in  constant  fear 
in  handling  the  notes  ov  uther  bankers.  Yet  it  was,  or 


Silver  and  Gold.  265 

wud  hav  bin,  very  inconvenient  tu  du  biznes  with  coin 
only.  If  bankers  had  lokt  up  and  sacredly  kept  coin 
tu  the  ful  amount  ov  the  notes  issud  ther  wud  hav  bin 
no  occasion  for  fear,  and  biznes  mite  hav  bin  stedy. 
But  the  speculating  bankers  wud  not  consent  tu  that. 
Tha  wanted  tu  uz  sums  ov  muny  far  in  exces  ov  their 
capital,  far  in  exces  ov  their  aknollejd  credit,  and  the 
ezy  wa  was  tu  issu  notes,  promises  tu  pa.  Huile  this 
was  alloud  ther  was  little  coin  in  use.  No  sane  per- 
son wud  keep  a  bank  note  and  pa  out  coin.  Coin  was 
muny;  the  note  was  a  promis  tu  pa  muny,  It  did  not 
take  a  political  economist  tu  no  this :  peple  hu  cud  not 
read  nu  it  by  experience,  if  not  by  intuition.  Nou  let 
us  suppoz  that  yesterda  was  1858,  enyhuer  in  the  Uni- 
ted States.  We  wer  in  constant  fear  that  our  'muny' 
wud  becum  wurthless  befor  we  cud  spend  it;  for  bank 
'failurs'  wer  freqent.  Evryhuer  the  cry  was  for  muny; 
muny  that  wud  keep  huile  we  slept  and  rested.  To-da 
is  1903,  and  there  is  an  abundance  ov  silver  and  gold. 
Ther  is  nou  no  need  ov  banks  ov  issu,  and  no  excuse 
for  them.  The  case  is  plain.  Let  there  be  no  uther 
kind  ov  muny  but  just  muny.  Call  in  all  the  national- 
bank  bils  and  the  greenbax.  Issu  no  mor  notes,  but 
instruct  the  Secretary  ov  the  Tresury  tu  issu  surtifi- 
cates  tu  the  exact  wate  ov  all  gold  and  silver  coin  and 
bullion  deposited  with  him,  and  tu  redeem  the  same 
on  demand.  Allou  him  no  discretion  in  the  matter. 

The  wurld  duz  not  need  sound  muny,  nor  fiat  muny, 
nor  an  asset  currency,  nor  an  elastic  currency;  but 
without  muny — huich  is  silver  and  gold  —  trade  and 
industry  can  not  be  sustaind. 


266  Notes. 

THE    FORBIDDEN    TOPIC. 

Here  is  a  topic  that  crys  for  recognition,  but  can  not  be  herd. 
A  fu  hav  tryd  tu  bring  it  forward,  and  in  evry  instans,  in  America, 
in  mi  jeneration,  hav  bin  swept  as  bi  a  besom  tu  oblivion,  if  not  tu 
destruction.  It  is  almost  impossible  tu  get  an  audiens  tu  listen  tu 
it,  and  a  public  print  that  wud  giv  it  a  chans  for  discussion  wud 
ceas  tu  be  a  public  print.  It  is  with  sum  trepidation  that  I  becum 
sponsor  for  it;  for  no  one  welcoms  marterdom,  even  in  a  just  caus. 
There  is  only  one  rezon  huy  eny  part  ov  this  book  has  bin  ritten, 
and  that  is  that  no  one  else  hu  cud  rite  it  wud  rite  it.  I  hav  not 
ritten  huat  eny  one  els  wud  rite.  Ther  is  a  deluj  ov  boox,  and  mor 
ov  the  prevaling  kind  ar  not  needed.  I  rite  tu  bring  in  nu  matter, 
and  I  bring  in  nu  matter  huen  I  rite.  This  is  mi  excuse  tu  miself 
on  this  occasion. 

WE  HAV  vitius  sistems  ov  taxation.  Tha  hav  bin  a 
groth  and  ar  tenatius  tu  life.  Tha  cud  ezily  hav  bin 
handeld  once,  but  nou  tha  ar  masters.  Slavery  cud 
ezily  hav  bin  abolisht  in  its  furst  jeneration,  but  it  be- 
came establisht,  and  its  destruction  shook  the  founda- 
tions ov  guvernment  and  the  relations  ov  society.  Tu 
eradicate  the  evils  ov  our  unjust  sistems  ov  taxation, 
or  even  tu  mitigate  them,  wil  reqire  a  long  and  deter- 
mind  fite.  There  must  be  real  fiting.  Monopoly  and 
privilej  wil  fite  desperatly,  and  uz  the  means  calcula- 
ted tu  win.  Tha  hav  millions  for  corruption  and  little 
for  patriotic  purposes.  Tha  can  count  on  the  activ 
and  self-sacrifissing  help  ov  meny  ov  their  victims — 
thoz  hu  ar  educated  in  a  wa  and  hav  imbibd  the  falla- 
tius  conclusion  that  ther  ar  only  sum  local  ineqalitys 
that  wil  adjust  themselvs  as  the  sistems  ar  perfected; 
thoz  hu  ar  always  set  against  eny  chanj  that  mite  caus 
friction  in  society  or  biznes ;  and  thoz  hu  hav  one  set 


The  Forbidden   Topic.  267 

corse  ov  action  on  all  public  qestions,  namely,  tu  vote 
as  tha  did  last  yer,  and  think  and  tauk  as  their  party 
masters  indicate. 

Befor  yu  go  further  I  wil  let  yu  no  that  I  am  going 
tu  tauk  politics.  If  yu  ar  so  pur  that  yu  wud  be  con- 
taminated with  enything  calld  politics  yu  wud  better 
stop  here.  Thukudides  sed  that  a  man  hu  gave  no 
attention  tu  politics  was  a  danjerus  citizen.  Solon,  in 
his  Athenian  code  ov  laus,  laid  a  penalty  on  a  man  hu 
did  not  take  part  in  eny  dispute  or  fite,  huether  or  not 
he  nu  the  partys — on  the  theory  that  if  all  men  in  site 
or  hearing  tuk  sides  justis  wud  be  dun,  but  if  tha  wer 
indifferent  the  unwurthy  and  wiked  mite  prevail.  If 
all  men  wud  insist  on  being  informd  on  public  qestions 
ther  wud  be  les  ov  'durty  politics.'  Agane,  if  yu  wish 
tu  remain  indifferent,  if  yu  wish  tu  be  a  sifer  and  hide 
in  a  party  name,  let  this  topic  alon. 

The  taxing  pouer  is  the  life  ov  guvernment.  It  ma 
be  uzd  for  the  grate  benefit  ov  all  the  peple,  or  it  ma 
be  uzd  tu  pauperize  and  enslave  the  peple.  The  tem- 
tation  tu  ambitius  and  cuvetus  men  is  very  grate,  and 
the  only  safety  is  in  sleepless  waching  and  promt  and 
emfatic  action  by  the  peple. 

For  present  purposes  I  wil  outline  tu  kinds  ov  tax. 

i.  Exodus  xxx.  15  givs  in  these  fu  wurds  a  system 
ascribd  to  Moses:  'The  rich  shal  not  giv  mor,  and  the 
por  shal  not  giv  less.'  This  system  was  tolerable  in 
the  erly  times  ov  the  Israelites  in  Canaan,  but  in  later 
times,  huen  the  land  and  opportunitys  wer  in  the  pos- 
session ov  a  fu,  the  meny  found  it  dificult  tu  pa  taxes, 
and  meny  wer  the  rous  betueen  the  tax  paers  and  the 


268  Notes. 

tax  eters.  The  profets  kikt  in  ambiguus  or  envius 
languaj,  if  I  understand  them.  Enywa  ther  was  not  a 
chanj  tu  a  just  system  ov  taxation,  and  the  periods  ov 
peace  wer  fu  and  short.  Almost  all  the  record  is  ov 
wikkednes  and  violence.  The  wiked  wer  always  thoz 
hu  oppozd  the  Mosaic  taxes — thoz  hu  payd  the  taxes. 

2.  I  du  not  no  hou  the  revenuz  had  bin  obtaind  at 
Athens  befor  the  time  ov  Solon,  but  the  welth  had  ac- 
cumulated in  a  fu  grate  fortuns.  The  situation  was 
desperat.  Solon  divided  the  peple  into  fore  classes 
according  to  welth  or  incum.  Thre  classes  wer  assest 
in  the  ratio  ov  12,  10,  5.  The  forth  clas,  bi  far  the 
most  numerus,  was  not  assest  at  all,  and  paid  no  tax. 
Only  the  surplus  abuv  the  needs  ov  the  family  was 
subject  to  tax. 

Here  ar  the  tu  models  for  taxation.  One  is  for  oli- 
garchic guvernment;  the  uther  is  for  a  democracy  or  a 
tyranny.  One  lays  the  burdens  upon  thoz  hu  get  the 
least  benefit  from  guvernment,  and  for  the  benefit  ov 
thoz  in  huz  interest  the  guvernment  is  maintaind.  The 
uther  lays  the  burdens  upon  thoz  hu  get  most  benefit 
from  guvernment  and  makes  the  lot  ov  the  common 
peple  tolerable. 

In  the  erly  days  ov  Conneticut  a  convention  was 
calld  to  adopt  sum  temporary  laus  or  rules.  This 
convention  re-enacted  the  laus  ov  Moses,  made  about 
1 200  B.  C.  and  superseded  bi  Cristianity.  Thus  was 
the  Mosaic  principle  ov  taxation  Yankeizd.  It  was  a 
sorry  pece  ov  work,  tho  the  lejislators  did  not  suspect 
the  far  reaching  conseqences  ov  their  hasty  action. 
This  species  ov  taxation  has  gron  imperceptibly  in 


The  Forbidden  Topic.  269 

America.  But  we  did  not  get  it  directly  from  the 
Mosaic  ritings.  If  enybody  had  propozd  in  the  furst 
sessions  ov  Congres  tu  take  as  the  basic  principle  ov 
taxation  the  old  lau,  'The  rich  shal  not  pa  mor,  and 
the  por  shal  not  pa  les,'  the  proposition  wud  hav  bin 
so  bald  as  to  work  the  political  ruin  ov  the  proposer. 
Education  had  bin  in  the  English  skool.  The  English 
hav  bin  forst  to  find  a  fairer  system,  tho  yet  far  from 
the  best,  huile  ours  has  gron  wurs. 

With  the  grater  part  ov  the  peple  dependent  on  cur- 
rent wajes,  with  an  enormus  tax  on  the  necessarys  ov 
life,  and  with  the  grate  fortuns  exempt  from  United 
States  taxes,  huat  ma  we  anticipate  ? 

But  I  hear  the  reply  at  once,  'All  property  is  subject 
tu  State  and  local  taxation;  the  welthy  pa  taxes  in  pro- 
portion tu  their  welth.'  That  is  ezily  sed,  and  meny 
hu  sa  it  beleev  it.  In  the  same  county  I  can  find  tu 
peces  ov  real  estate  the  assesments  on  huich  ar  as  4 
tu  i.  The  welthy  man's  home  wil  be  assest  at  10  to  15 
per  cent  ov  its  fair  valu;  the  por  man's  humble  home 
wil  be  assest  at  40  to  60  per  cent.  In  the  por  nabor- 
hud  the  por  rates  must  be  hy,  yet  in  hard  times  tha  ar 
increast.  Thoz  hu  mite  sustain  themselvs  ar  taxt  into 
poverty,  tu  be  helpt  by  thoz  only  a  little  better  off. 
All  the  time  the  discreet  capitalist  makes  investments 
and  extends  his  proprietorship  over  the  heritajes  ov 
the  peple. 

Ther  is  anuther  gros  injustis.  Capitalists  du  not  oan 
and  carry  on  industrys.  The  enerjetic  men  hu  du  ar 
often  borroers.  Nou  A  has  $1,000  and  wishes  to  con- 
duct a  biznes  huich  reqires  $3,000.  A  is  capable  ov 


270 


Notes. 


conducting  the  biznes,  and  utherwise  is  a  useles  mem- 
ber ov  society.  He  must  borro  $2,000.  X  lends  him 
$2,000.  A  is  stil  wurth  only  $1,000.  But  the  assessor 
finds  him  with  $3,000  in  property  that  is  assessable, 
and  he  must  pa  tax  on  thre  times  as  much  as  he  oans. 
X  wil  charj  uzury,  and  enuf  to  make  him  good  on  the 
tax  on  $2,000  in  notes,  huich  ar  assessable.  A,  then, 
must  pa  tax  on  $5,000  and  uzury  on  $2,000.  Hou  is  it 
with  the  capitalist  ?  He  charjes  the  tax  to  the  borroer, 
but  duz  he  pa  the  tax?  Not  always.  The  injustis  is  in 
the  tax — the  tax  on  credits,  huich  ar  not  welth  or  prop- 
erty. Welth  and  property  exist  independent  ov  them, 
and  ar  justly  taxt.  Morgajes,  notes  and  bonds  shud 
not  be  taxt :  the  tax  is  a  fine  on  the  man  hu  is  in  hard 
lines.  I  wunder  huat  actuates  thoz  hu  demand  this 
duble  taxation  ? 

The  indirect  taxes  laid  and  collected  by  the  Jeneral 
Guvernment  ar  very  much  wurs  in  their  effects.  The 
milionair  ma  chu  and  smok  the  most  expensiv  brands 
ov  domestic  tobacco,  yet  pa  no  mor  tax  than  a  por 
man,  since  the  tax  is  by  the  pound  without  regard  to 
qality.  Yu  ma  sa  that  the  por  man  duz  not  need  the 
stimulus  ov  tobaco  and  shud  let  it  alon.  Huen  yu  se 
a  por  man  paing  60  cents  a  pound  for  tobaco  that  shud 
sel  at  20  cents  yu  ma  consol  yorself  with  eny  farisaic 
excus.  I  wud  fre  the  por  man's  tobaco.  Yu  tax  him 
to  poverty  and  then  blame  him.  I  admit  that  he  is  in 
fault  if  he  votes  for  men  hu  la  taxes  on  poverty. 

Whiskey,  whisky,  huisky,  uisge  beatha,  usquebaugh, 
aqua  vitae,  water  ov  life — with  all  ov  these  hi-sounding 
titles  hu  wud  suspect  that  corn  juce  wud  be  the  worst 


The  Forbidden   Topic.  271 

enemy  ov  the  por  man  ?  '  Our  harts  gro  sik  huen  we 
contemplate  the  horrible  details  ov  a  famin  in  a  foren 
land ;  we  shuder  and  turn  pale  huen  a  pestilence  por- 
tends ;  a  nation  trembles  huen  on  the  brink  ov  war;  yet 
meny  contemplate  with  aparent  unconcern  the  work  ov 
an  enemy  mor  dredful  than  all  ov  these!'  etc.  Look 
at  the  appalling  figurs:  100,000,000  gallons  ov  distild 
spirits  in  a  year!  The  Guvernment  gets  about  $i  a 
gallon  in  tax;  it  costs  15  cents  a  gallon  to  mak  it;  it  is 
sold  to  the  por  hu  drink  most  ov  it  at  from  $4  to  $18  a 
gallon.  Nou  mak  sum  figurs  and  ask  yorself  huer  the 
enormus  profit  goz.  Huat  ar  yu  going  tu  du  about  it  ? 
I  am  for  fre  huisky.  I  wud  repeal  all  laus,  National 
and  State,  huich  prohibit,  tax  or  licens  huisky.  The 
laus  intensify  huat  wud  naturally  be  a  minor  evil,  one 
huich  is  inseparable  from  civilization. 

The  present  ostensible  purpos  ov  tarif  taxes  is  tu 
giv  employment  and  by  wajes  tu  American  wurking 
men.  The  real  purpos  and  effect  ar  tu  make  lo  wajes 
and  hy  prices  for  inferior  products.  Incidentally  the 
Guvernment  collects  from  poverty  nerly  all  the  rest 
ov  its  incum  not  collected  from  huisky  and  tobaco. 

All  taxes  except  thoz  on  welth  y  property  and  incum  ar 
iniqituS)  unpatriotic  and  danjerus.  Taxation  is  not  nat- 
urally a  curse  or  a  burden.  It  is  a  providential  means 
ov  distribution,  if  ritely  uzd.  It  has  bin  perverted  tu 
a  means  ov  aggregating  welth  and  resorces  and  pau- 
perizing the  peple,  the  meny.  The  furst  thing  to  be 
dun  in  the  wa  to  better  distribution  ov  the  welth  pro- 
dust  by  the  wurkers  is  to  determin  to  du  rite,  to  be 
just.  The  next  step  wil  be  plain  and  ezy:  repeal  all 


272  Notes. 

taxes  on  poverty;  tax  only  surplus,  that  abuv  the  need 
ov  the  individual  or  family.  The  Jeneral  Guvernment 
shud  hav  only  one  sorce  ov  revenu,  incum  tax.  The 
Supreme  Cort,  yu  sa?  The  colonists  gaind  independ- 
ence from  the  English  cort.  We  shud  unite  and  out- 
vote the  Supreme  Cort.  It  is  not  the  final  lejislatur. 
With  por  surculation  ov  the  blud  the  body  is  subject 
to  all  manner  ov  diseaz.  All  the  parts  ov  the  body  ar 
useful  and  nun  ma  be  neglected.  The  stumak  is  the 
storhous  and  laboratory,  and  helth  is  good  or  bad  as 
the  resorces  gaind  by  the  hole  body  ar  wel  or  il  dis- 
tributed tu  the  parts  as  tha  need  them.  In  the  body 
politic  the  same  lau  holds.  The  parts  impoverisht 
ma  not  make  truble  at  once,  but  tha  wil  make  truble. 
All  thoz  hu  wurk,  in  huatever  calling,  help  to  produce 
the  bulk  ov  the  welth.  Sum  individuals  du  mor  work 
than  uthers;  sum  du  beter  work;  a  fu  men  with  master 
minds  and  wunderful  jenius  du  the  jeneral  planning: 
but  the  bodily  needs  and  the  capacity  for  enjoyment 
du  not  reqire  in  one  extrem  a  thousand  times  mor  than 
in  the  uther.  The  por  wido  with  helples  babes  cud  find 
a  wa  to  spend  tuice  as  much  muny  as  she  can  ern  and 
not  by  an  article  that  wud  be  calld  a  luxury.  Then  is 
it  not  a  crime  against  natur  to  tax  the  clothes  she  and 
her  babys  ware?  Nou  don't  get  exited.  She  duz  pa 
sum  tax,  if  she  bys  cloth.  No  ?  Wel,  nou,  se  here. 
She  cud  by  the  same  goods,  the  same  grade,  in  Eng- 
land for  little  mor  than  haf  the  price  she  pays  here,  and 
if  the  merchant  cud  bring  thoz  goods  here  without  pa- 
ing  tax  at  the  custom  hous  he  wud  sel  them  almost  as 
cheap  as  the  English  merchant  duz.  He  must  pa  tax, 


The  Forbidden  Topic.  273 

and  he  collects  it  bak  with  uzury  from  the  wido.  The 
wido  shud  not  by  imported  goods,  yu  sa  ?  Wei,  tha 
ar  as  cheap  as  the  horn-made  ov  the  same  grade,  or  for 
ware,  counting  ware  and  cost,  and  ar  mor  satisfactory. 
Nou,  my  patriotic  frend,  don't  get  exited.  I  no  huat 
yu  want  to  sa.  But  let  me  tel  yu  that  in  that  locality 
anuther  member  ov  the  body  politic  is  suffering  from 
atrofy,  from  lak  ov  nurishment.  The  wajes  paid  for  a 
given  number  ov  yards  ov  cloth  ar  les  in  New  England 
than  in  Old  England.  The  condition  ov  the  factory 
peple  nou  is  far  wurse  than  was  that  ov  the  slaves  at  the 
South.  It  is  qite  as  hard  for  a  factory  slav  to  escape 
or  chanj  masters  as  it  was  for  the  slave  on  the  planta- 
tion. It  is  a  friteful  state,  that  ov  our  body  politic,  in 
parts,  in  sum  ov  its  members.  Ther  is  need  ov  better 
surculation,  distribution.  Palliation  is  not  cure.  The 
root  ov  the  diseaz  is  in  the  National  tax  system.  Fre 
the  weker  parts  from  the  uneqal  strain  and  make  pos- 
sible a  helthy  body  politic.  Disturb  biznes  and  indus- 
try, yu  sa  ?  Tarif  tauk  always  disturbs  prosperity  ?  I 
se  no  sines  ov  prosperity  nou.  A  fu  ar  prospering,  but 
the  meny  ar  not.  In  a  short  time,  if  the  tarif  taxes  ar 
not  disturbd,  and  grately,  ther  wil  be  anuther  collaps. 
We  shal  hear  the  old  refrain,  'Overproduction,'  and  we 
shal  suffer  again  thru  a  long  sezon  ov  inactivity.  And 
evry  time  thez  sezons  ov  partial  paralisis  bring  mor 
suffering,  becaus  ov  the  grater  number  ov  wurkers  de- 
pendent on  weekly  wajes. 

This  is  not  Socialism.  It  is  a  remedy  without  So- 
cialism. Socialism  is  not  a  remedy  for  eny  evil.  It 
is  itself  an  evil  tu  be  dreded. 


274  Notes. 

POLITICAL   IDEALS   AND    POLITICAL   IDOLS. 

THE  most  distressing  fact  in  politics  and  literatur  is 
that  the  strongest  bent  a  mind  can  suffer  is  one  made 
by  deception  and  having  its  root  in  prejudis.  If  a 
polititian  bi  appeling  tu  prejudis  can  instil  intu  a  man 
a  dislike  or  a  hatred  ov  anuther  party,  or  a  prejudis  in 
regard  tu  a  tenet  or  policy  ov  anuther  party,  at  the 
time  not  defining  the  policy  ov  his  oan  party,  the  con- 
vert (or  pervert)  wil  vote  for  the  polititian  and  cling 
to  the  party,  huatever  ma  happen.  No  arguments,  no 
object-lessons,  no  losses,  no  calamitys  wil  shake  his 
faith  in  'the  party.'  His  suns  ma  gro  up  and  se  the 
partys  and  their  policys  in  a  nu  lite,  but  he  wil  vote 
for  the  old  name,  tho  the  candidates  ar  nou  advocating 
the  identical  policy  against  huich  he  furst  voted  and 
thinks  he  is  voting  against  yet.  This  man  has  an  idol, 
and  he  wurships  and  trusts  his  idol  as  ignorantly  and  as 
truly  as  ever  did  a  benited  barbarian  his  material  idol. 

It  is  a  mor  pleasing  fact  that  huen  appeal  is  made 
to  a  man's  intelijens  and  fairnes,  on  the  affurmativ  side 
ov  a  policy,  and  he  is  wun,  he  is  not  wun  to  the  candi- 
date or  the  party  forever:  he  wil  uz  his  intelijens  again, 
and  evry  time,  in  determining  his  party  affiliations  and 
in  casting  his  vote.  Not  only  must  the  party  be  satis- 
factory, or  the  best  that  he  has  to  choos  from,  but  the 
candidates  must  be  akseptable.  If  a  majority  ov  the 
voters  wer  ov  his  clas  there  wud  be  gud  guvernment. 
He  is  not  necessarily  rich  or  por,  letterd  or  unletterd. 
Yu  wil  not  hear  him  sa  at  40  that  he  has  always  voted 
for  'the party.'  He  scorns  the  party's  collar 


Political  Ideals  and  Political  Idols.  2?^ 

and  haulter.  He  has  ideals.  He  can  ezily  chanj  to  an 
old  or  a  nu  party,  but  his  ideals  ar  not  ezily  chanjd. 

The  Erth  belongs  tu  the  peple  hu  for  the  time  in- 
habit it.  Sum  ar  going  all  the  time,  but  uthers  take 
their  places.  The  peple  ov  yesterda  made  laus  as  tha 
wisht  them,  and  the  same  rite  belongs  tu  the  peple  ov 
to-da.  Conditions  chanj  rapidly,  and  political  evils 
cum  mostly  from  inattention  to  the  nu  needs.  Insted 
ov  looking  camly  at  the  situation  and  taking  deliberat 
action,  the  'qestions'  ar  stated  in  very  vaig  languaj  in 
the  'platforms'  ov  the  partys,  there  is  much  ov  huat  is 
calld  'discussion,'  elections  ar  held,  Congres  listens  tu 
thoz  hu  hav  industrial  'interests'  in  their  charj,  and 
the  'qestions'  go  over,  tu  be  the  leading  'issuz'  in  the 
next  political  campain.  And  so  on.  The  peple  ar  tu 
trustful  and  tu  forbaring  with  their  political  servants. 
An  employer  givs  instructions  to  his  employes,  those 
hu  du  wurk  or  biznes  for  him,  and  he  cuts  short  the 
engajment  huen  his  bird  man  neglects  orders.  The 
congresman  is  mor  than  a  common  hird  man.  He  is 
trusted  out  ov  site  and  hearing  ov  his  employers,  thoz 
hu  vote  for  him  on  his  promis  tu  du  certain  things.  It 
is  the  ekseption,  not  the  rule,  for  congresmen  tu  fulfil 
their  plejes  tu  their  constituents.  The  Erth  belongs 
tu  the  peple,  and  the  peple  shud  find  a  wa  to  assert 
their  rite  tu  dictate  the  policys  ov  the  Guvernment. 

Hou  meny  and  huat  wer  the  qestions  huich  hav  bin 
seteld  by  voting  for  and  against  the  political  partys — 
electing  men  on  a  platform  that  is  interpreted  one  wa 
in  one  section,  anuther  wa  in  anuther  section,  and  for- 
gotten as  soon  as  the  campain  is  ended  ? 


276  Notes. 

Congres  shud  not  hav  unlimited  discretion,  for  in- 
stance,' in  laying  taxes.  At  least  the  jeneral  proposi- 
tions shud  be  submitted  tu  a  vote  ov  the  peple.  If  a 
proposition  was  submitted — say,  'Shal  all  taxes  nou  in 
force  be  repeald  and  an  incum  tax  be  enacted  insted, 
$1,000  per  yer  tu  each  individual  tu  be  exempt ?'- 
and  the  majority  ov  the  peple  voted  for  it,  it  shud  be 
trezon  for  a  servant  ov  the  peple  tu  attempt  tu  collect 
eny  tax  but  an  incum  tax.  If  the  peple  voted  for  the 
present  taxes  I  cud  submit  tu  their  decision  with  much 
better  grace  than  I  cud  command  huen  nine  men  not 
chosen  bi  the  peple,  not  anserable  tu  the  peple  and  bi 
profession  and  position  in  life  out  ov  simpathy  with  the 
peple  repeald  the  incum-tax  lau,  almost  the  only  lejis- 
lation  by  a  'reform'  party  huich  had  made  solem  and 
dignifyd  promises  tu  correct  the  evils  afflicting  the 
body  politic.  This  cort  o-v  nine  men  has  sed  that  the 
internal -revenu  taxes  paid  by  the  por  ar  unconstitu- 
tional, but  these  taxes  ar  collected.  I  du  not  like  this 
guvernment  by  partys.  I  want  a  guvernment  by  the 
peple.  Huen  I  vote  for  a  laumaker  I  repoz  in  him  a 
grate  pouer  for  good  or  evil.  He  shud  be  willing  tu 
leav  the  decision  ov  all  important  qestions  to  his  con- 
stituents. It  is  not  enuf  for  me  that  he  calls  himself 
a  Saducee  or  a  Farisee.  Party  names  cuver  all  the 
crimes  for  huich  men  serv  the  State  in  the  penitentia- 
rys.  Let  the  peple  settle  qestions. 

If  a  man  goes  intu  a  community  and  asks  muny  for 
a  servis  huich  he  engajes  tu  perform,  or  for  sumthing 
ov  valu  huich  he  promises  tu  deliver,  and  fails  tu  du 
or  refuses  tu  du  as  he  represents,  he  is  at  lau  gilty  ov 


Political  Ideals  and  Political  Idols. 


277 


obtaining  muny  by  false  pretense,  and  ma  be  punisht 
by  fine  or  imprisonment.  Is  it  eny  les  a  misdemenor 
or  crime  for  a  man  tu  solicit  votes  on  promis  ov  huat 
he  wil  du  if  elected  and  then  in  offis  fail  tu  fulfil  his 
plej  ?  And  shud  not  thoz  hu  gave  him  their  votes  be 
as  redy  tu  prosecute  him  as  tha  wud  a  confidens  man  ? 

Huerfor  in  conclusion  I  expres  the  hope  that  the 
peple  wil  resume  their  inherent  rite  tu  vote  on  and 
decide,  for  the  time,  eny  qestion,  and  wud  sugjest  that 
huen  five  per  cent  ov  the  voters  ask  bi  petition  tu  hav 
a  qestion  submitted  it  must  be  submitted  in  the  exact 
form  as  stated  in  the  petition.  This  mite  cost  a  little 
muny,  but  no  public  muny  wud  be  spent  for  a  better 
purpos. 

Most  readers  ov  this  note  wil  probably  sa  that  the 
proposition  tu  refer  all  important  matters  tu  a  vote 
ov  the  peple  is  impracticable.  Yet  the  peple  giv  mor 
time  tu  efforts  and  plans  tu  persuade  their  servants  tu 
action  than  wud  be  necesary  tu  take  action  themselvs 
if  there  was  provision  for  it.  Athens  had  a  supreme 
cort,  the  Areiopagos,  but  there  was  appeal  from  it  tu 
the  peple.  Becaus  ov  the  appeal  ther  was  never  oc- 
casion for  an  appeal.  If  a  bully  noes  that  yu  can  and 
wil  fite  he  wil  let  yu  alon.  If  the  incum-tax  case  had 
bin  appelable  directly  tu  the  peple  the  decision  ov  the 
cort  wud  hav  bin  in  favor  ov  the  peple. 

The  Guvernment  is  in  thre  branches  —  Lejislativ, 
Executiv,  Juditial.  The  Supreme  Cort  had  no  juris- 
diction or  authority  in  the  incum-tax  case,  and  the 
President  shud  hav  resented  the  invasion  ov  his  depart- 
ment by  the  Juditial.  He  shud  hav  collected  the  tax. 


278  Notes. 

THE   CRISTIAN   BEVERAJES. 

CAN  one  abstain  from  intoxicating  beverajes  and  be 
a  Cristian  ?  I  ask  the  qestion  in  all  seriusness,  and 
shal  let  the  Nu  Testament  make  the  anser. 

Jon  ii.  9 :  And  huen  the  ruler  ov  the  feast  tasted  the  water  nou 
becum  wine,  and  nu  not  huence  it  was,  he  calld  the  bridegroom 
and  sed  unto  him,  Evry  man  sets  on  furst  the  gud  wine,  and  huen 
men  get  drunk  (methusthosi),  then  that  huich  is  wurs :  thou  hast 
kept  the  gud  wine  until  nou.  This  begining  ov  his  sines  did  Jesus 
at  Cana  ov  Galilee,  and  manifested  his  glory ;  and  his  disciples  be- 
leevd  on  him. 

Here  was  the  begining  ov  Jesus'  ministry.  He  was 
with  his  muther  at  a  weding  in  his  naborhud,  and  huen 
the  wine  gave  out,  tho  the  revelers  wer  alredy  drunk, 
he  miraculusly  made  a  grate  qantity  mor,  that  tha  mite 
hav  'a  hi  old  time.'  The  Greek  verb  methusthosi  means 
qite  drunk,  reeling,  stagering.  Ther  is  not  a  wurd  ov 
counsel  or  ov  moralizing.  And  this  act  was  consistent 
with  his  life  and  teaching  befor  and  after. 

Heb.  xiii.  8 :  Jesus  Crist  is  the  same  yesterda  and  to-da,  and 
ior  ever. 

Mat.  xi.  18 :  For  Jon  came  neether  eating  [meat]  nor  drinking 
[wine],  and  tha  sa,  He  hath  a  demon.  The  Sun  ov  man  came 
eating  and  drinking,  and  tha  sa,  Behold,  a  gluttonus  man,  and  a 
wine  drinker,  a  frend  ov  publicans  and  sinners. 

Luke  xviii.  9 :  And  he  spoke  also  this  parable  unto  certain  hu 
trusted  in  themselvs  that  tha  wer  riteus,  and  set  all  uthers  at  naut: 
Tu  men  went  into  the  temple  tu  pra;  one  a  Farisee  and  the  uther 
a  publican.  The  Farise  stood  and  prayd  thus  with  himself :  God, 
I  thank  the  that  I  am  not  as  the  rest  ov  men,  extortioners,  unjust, 
adulterers,  or  even  as  this  publican.  I  fast  tuice  in  the  week;  1 
giv  tithes  ov  all  that  I  get.  But  the  publican,  standing  afar  off, 
wud  not  so  much  as  rais  his  ize,  but  smote  his  brest,  saying:  God, 


The  Cristian  Bcverajes.  27  Q 

be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner.  I  sa  unto  yu,  This  man  went  to  his 
hous  justifyd  rather  than  the  uther;  for  evry  one  that  exalts  him- 
self shal  be  humbled. 

Jesus  was  not  ascetic.  Ther  is  no  asceticism  in  the 
Nu  Testament.  Ther  is  no  sumptuary  teching.  In 
India  ther  was  asceticism,  and  the  sentiment  has  gron 
stronger  ther  from  that  da  tu  this,  huile  the  peple  hav 
gron  porer  and  mor  degraded.  Ther  wer  also  ascetics 
in  and  about  Jerusalem,  but  Jesus  usually  condemd 
them.  Meat  and  strong  drink  go  together.  It  is  hily 
improper  to  take  either  without  the  uther. 

Psalm  civ.  14 :  Yah  we  causes  the  gras  to  gro  for  the  cattle,  and 
erb  for  man's  use;  and  wine  that  makes  glad  man's  hart,  oil  to 
make  his  face  to  shine,  and  bred  that  strengthens  his  hart. 

Mat.  xxvi.  26 :  As  tha  wer  eting,  Jesus  tuk  bred,  and  blest,  and 
broke  it ;  and  he  gave  to  the  disciples,  and  sed  :  Take,  eat ;  this  is 
my  body.  And  he  tuk  a  cup,  and  gave  thanks,  and  gave  to  them, 
saing :  Drink  ye  all  ov  it ;  for  this  is  my  blud  ov  the  nu  cuvenant, 
and  is  shed  for  meny  unto  remission  ov  sins.  But  I  sa  unto  yu,  I 
shal  not  drink  hensforth  ov  this  frut  ov  the  vine  until  that  da  huen 
I  drink  it  nu  with  yu  in  my  Father's  kingdom. 

Huat  wil  an  ascetic,  one  hu  duz  not  drink  intoxi- 
cants, sa  tu  that  ?  He  ma  sa  that  the  wine  was  not 
fermented,  not  intoxicant.  Read 

Acts  ii.  12:  Tha  wer  all  amazd  and  perplext,  saing  one  to  an- 
uther,  Huat  means  this?  Uthers,  mauking,  sed,  Tha  ar  filld  with 
nu  wine.  But  Peter,  standing  up  with  the  eleven,  spoke  out  and 
sed,  Ye  men  ov  Judea,  and  all  ye  that  duell  at  Jerusalem,  these  ar 
not  drunk  [methuousin],  as  ye  suppose ;  seing  it  is  only  the  thurd 
our  ov  the  da. 

I.  Thes.  v.  7  :  Tha  that  ar  drunk  [methuskomenoi]  ar  drunk  in 
the  nite. 

I  submit  that  total  abstinence  is  not  consistent  with 
Cristianity.  Cristianity  is  alive,  awake;  Hinduism  is 


280  Notes. 

passiv,  asleep.    Here  is  the  command  tu  the  Cristian: 
Col.  ii.  16 :     Let  no  man  therfor  juj  yu  in  meat,  or  in  drink,  or 
in  respect  ov  a  feast  da  or  a  nu  moon  or  a  sabbath  da:  huich  ar  a 
shado  ov  the  things  to  curn;  but  the  body  is  Christ's. 

Heb.  v.  12 :  Huen  bi  rezon  ov  the  time  ye  aut  to  be  techers,  ye 
hav  need  agane  that  sum  one  teach  yu  the  rudiments  ov  the  furst 
principles  ov  the  oracles  ov  God ;  and  ar  becum  such  as  hav  need 
ov  milk,  and  not  ov  solid  food.  For  evry  one  that  partakes  ov  milk 
is  without  experience  ov  the  word  ov  riteusness;  for  he  is  a  babe. 
But  solid  food  is  for  ful-gron  men,  those  hu  by  rezon  ov  use  hav 
their  senses  exersizd  to  dissern  good  and  evil. 

Paul  had  tu  deal  with  sum  hu  wer  obstinate : 
Rom.  xiv.  20  :  All  things  ar  clean  ;  yet  it  is  evil  for  that  man  hu 
eats  with  offense.  It  is  gud  not  tu  eat  flesh,  nor  tu  drink  wine,  nor 
du  that  huerby  thy  bruther  stumbles.  The  faith  huich  thou  hast, 
hav  tu  thyself  befor  God.  Happy  is  he  that  jujes  not  himself  in 
that  huich  he  appruvs.  But  he  that  douts  is  condemd  if  he  eat. 

And  with  sum  hu  wer  riotus  : 

I.  Cor.  xi.  20:     Huen  ye  assemble  it  is  not  possible  to  eat  the 
Lord's  supper:  for  in  yor  eating  each  one  takes  befor  his  oan  sup- 
per; and  one  is  hungry,  and  anuther  is  drunken.     Huat  ?  hav  ye 
not  houses  to  eat  and  to  drink  in  ? 

But  medlers  and  bizzybodys  wer  condemd : 

II.  Thess.  iii.  n:     We  hear  ov  sum  that  wak  amung  yu  disor- 
derly, that  wurk  not  at  all,  but  ar  bizzybodys.     Nou  them  that  ar 
such  we  command  and  exhort  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Crist,  that  with 
qietnes  tha  wurk,  and  eat  their  oan  bred. 

I.  Peter  iv.  15  :  For  let  nun  ov  yu  suffer  as  a  murderer,  or  a 
theef,  or  an  evil-duer,  or  as  a  medler  in  uther  men's  matters:  but 
if  as  a  Cristian,  let  him  not  be  ashamed. 

If  prohibitionists  and  'temperance  wurkers'  ar  not 
bizzybodys,  hu  ar  ?  But  tha  ma  find  sum  cumfort  in 

Rev.  iii.  15  :  I  no  thi  wurks,  that  thou  art  nether  cold  nor  hot. 
I  wud  thou  wert  cold  or  hot.  So  becaus  thou  art  lukewarm,  and 
nether  hot  nor  cold,  I  wil  spu  the  out  ov  mi  mouth. 


ANCIENT  CIVILIZATIONS. 

440  Pages.          By  GEORGE  SHELLEY  HUGHS.         Cloth,  $2. 
Published  and  Sold  by  the  Author. 

IT  is  the  intention  of  the  author  to  give  in  three  or 
four  books  the  consecutive  story  of  the  known  civili- 
zations, together  with  the  causes  and  manner  of  de- 
cline of  each.  Everything  that  makes  for  or  against 
civilization  will  receive  due  credit,  without  prejudice. 
The  work  now  on  the  market  deals  almost  entirely 
with  pre-Christian  civilizations,  but  it  is  an  important 
part  of  the  entire  plan.  Here  the  theories  are  worked 
out  and  the  foundations  are  laid. 

THE  DIVINITY  SCHOOL,  THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  CHICAGO, 
My  dear  Mr.  Hughs:  CHICAGO,  December  18,  1900. 

I  have  examined  your  book  with  interest.  It  certainly  gives 
evidence  of  a  large  amount  of  careful  study,  and  its  thesis  is  well 
worthy  of  consideration.  I  am  not  quite  ready  to  agree  with  you 
upon  the  book's  main  contention;  but  that  is  not  to  say  that  you 
are  wrong.  No  one  can  read  the  volume  without  being  instructed 
and  intellectually  stimulated.  Very  truly  yours, 

SHAILER  MATHEWS. 

Father  Nugent,  one  of  the  best  known  Roman  Cath- 
olic clergymen  in  the  West,  wrote : 

»*     n         KJT     u     i.  DBS  MOINES,  Iowa,  April  17,  1899. 

My  Dear  Mr.  Hughs: 

I  write  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  "Ancient  Civiliza- 
tions. ' '  I  ought  to  have  made  the  acknowledgment  sooner,  but  I 
wished  to  read  it  through  before  writing  you.  In  some  philosophic 
points  I  think  we  differ,  but  in  the  main  facts  of  history  we  are  in 
perfect  accord.  There  are  two  characteristic  features  in  the  work 
which  in  my  estimation  make  its  chief  value :  First,  the  links 
which  bind  cause  and  effect  are  never  broken.  This  is  what  we 
might  call  tracing  the  genealogy  of  human  events.  In  this  you 
have  been  quite  fortunate.  Second,  the  style  in  which  the  story  is 
told;  for  in  your  way  dry  history  becomes  an  interesting  story — is 
unique  and  fascinating.  I  remain  yours  sincerely, 

REV.  J.  F.  NUGENT,  LL.D. 


"Ancient  Civilizations"  is  a  very  meritorious  contribution  to 
popular -historical  literature.  It  will  supply  the  average  reader 
with  a  great  deal  of  useful  and  highly  interesting  knowledge,  which 
as  a  rule  is  not  accessible  to  him.  The  study  of  ancient  civiliza- 
tion may  be  said  to  have  been  revolutionized  within  the  last  thirty 
or  fifty  years.  Undreamed  of  sources  of  information  have  been 
adopted,  fruitful  general  principles  have  been  applied  to  the  vast 
material  which  the  researches  of  linguists,  ethnologists  and  histo- 
rians have  brought  to  light.  But  this  precious  new  learning  is 
hidden  away  in  bulky  and  learned  volumes,  which  are  known  and 
comprehensible  only  to  scholars.  Mr.  Hughs  deserves  our  thanks 
for  trying  to  popularize  the  science  of  civilization,  and  to  bring  its 
results  to  the  general  reader  in  a  simple  and  attractive  form.  Mr. 
Hughs  has  read  a  vast  deal.  He  is  at  home  in  every  department 
of  historical  knowledge.  His  style  is  fluent  and  natural ;  many 
passages  are  forceful  and  beautiful.  Being  a  self-taught  man,  he 
displays  for  the  knowledge  he  offers,  the  touching  enthusiasm  and 
keen  love  of  one  who  has  worked  very  hard  for  what  he  has  ac- 
quired. The  reader  will  find  the  writer's  enthusiasm  contagious. 
While  we  peruse  the  book,  we  learn  more  and  more  to  respect  and 
love  the  man  who  composed  it.  The  presence  of  an  earnest  and 
honorable  personality,  of  a  sincere  truth-seeker  is  felt  in  the  whole 
work.  We  heartily  recommend  the  book  to  all  who  wish  to  gain 
information  or  to  rehearse  what  they  already  know  in  a  pleasant 
and  easy  way.  [Signed]  DR.  ADOLPH  MOSES,  Rabbi. 

DR.  IGN.  MUELLER,  Rabbi. 
Louisville,  Ky.,  August  26,  i8g"j. 

And  the  best  known  worker  among  the  Spiritualists: 

An  original  book,  written  by  an  original  man,  and  in  an  original 
style.  This  volume  can  hardly  be  called  a  book;  it  is  a  library. 
It  is,  if  not  the  best,  at  least  among  the  best  books  of  the  century. 
Every  page  gives  evidence  of  extensive  research  and  deep  thought. 
If  this  book  was  written  for  the  million,  the  author  has  made  a 
mistake.  The  multitude  will  never  read  it.  Thinkers  will  study 
its  pages.  Mr.  Hughs  seeks  the  backing  of  no  great  ecclesiastical 
organization,  nor  of  any  other  societies  or  persons.  The  result  will 
be  that  those  who  ask,  "Have  any  of  the  rulers  or  of  the  Pharisees 
believed  on  him  ? ' '  will  let  this  volume  severely  alone. 

March  /j,  1897.  [REV.]  MOSES  HULL. 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LI8RAR 


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